Unity Gardens Nurture and Nourish Program

Aim

We want to minimize food waste and maximize food access!

We're already raised $70,000 thanks to the Saint Joseph County Community Foundation and anonymous donors! 

Unity Gardens started in 2008 with a mission of connecting our community to fresh food, nature and each other. This began with free pick gardens, where anyone was welcome to harvest and enjoy the green space, regardless of their involvement or socioeconomic background. Since that first garden, we've always had a sharing shelf. Those with more than they needed could add to our sharing shelf and those with need could take it- no questions asked. 

Years later, in 2024, Cultivate Food Rescue asked Unity Gardens a question - could we use some extra peaches? Cultivate Food Rescue gathers food that would otherwise go to the landfill and repackages it into frozen meals for schools. But fresh produce isn't shelf-stable and needs quick distribution. To fill this gap, they reached out to us. In 2024, Cultivate helped us share an additional 50,000 pounds of food. 

There was some clear momentum here. With that in mind, we sourced a sharing fridge and freezer for our Welcome Center and built new partnerships. In 2025, with the help of Cultivate Food Rescue, Clay Church Food Pantry, Great Harvest Bakery, and many individuals, we shared an additional 350,000 pounds of food. 

It's time to invest in infrastructure that supports this program. The Community Foundation of St Joseph County recently awarded us a matching grant to do so, helping us invest in temperature controlled storage area, vehicles, and personnel! The United States wastes billions of pounds of food annually, while millions deal with food insecurity. Rerouting food that would otherwise be wasted to those who need it is a no-brainer. We just need your support to make it happen! 

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 28th July 2026 at 9:18pm