What We Do

Louisville Grows, founded in 2009, is an environmental 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to Grow Greener, Healthier Neighborhoods. Our vision is to foster green, just and sustainable neighborhoods in Louisville. Louisville Grows’ neighborhood-based urban forestry program focuses on restoring the urban tree canopy with a goal of planting 1000 trees each year. The main focus of our urban agriculture program is to build capacity in community gardens by providing technical assistance, education and infrastructure by offering community garden grants. Louisville Grows seeks to be a leading nonprofit in advocating for health equity through the environmental platforms of urban forestry and urban agriculture.

Annual Appeal 2020

Volunteers are the backbone of Louisville Grows! In 2020, due to COVID-19, we were unable to work with the thousands of volunteers we engaged in 2019 to help us with tree plantings, Seeds and Starts Sale, and community gardens. The pandemic has directly impacted our efforts to deliver vital services and keep our doors open at Healthy House.

We are hurting without our volunteers and are in urgent need of your support! With increasing demand on our small staff, it is difficult to continue to serve the neighborhoods most impacted by the lack of an urban tree canopy and fresh, healthy food.

Donating to our annual campaign, helps us keep the lights on while sustaining our work to grow greener, healthier neighborhoods for the 105,000+ residents in West and South Louisville. A gift of:

$50 allows us to invest in a set of tools at a community garden.

$250 plants a tree in someone’s yard and keeps it watered.

Please consider making a donation in any amount that is meaningful for you.

Are you ready to make an impact on your community?

Click HERE to donate or scan the QR code below

Our History

In The Beginning
2009-2011
2013
2015
2017
2018
2019

In The Beginning

Louisville Grows is founded by a group of “guerilla gardeners” gathering to make seed bombs in their living rooms. Their goal was to spread the importance of greening our community. This was the beginning of Louisville Grows assisting community groups and individuals on their journey towards sustainability.

2009-2011

  • Officially designated as a 501(c)(3) organization
  • Works with Metro Council District 5 to develop a vision for a 5-acre mixed-use agricultural site, The People’s Garden, located at 536 North 44th Street in the Shawnee neighborhood.
  • Starts with community members the Shippingport Memorial Garden in Portland, the Community Green School in Parkland, and the Hope Community Garden in Beechmont.
  • Assists in creating 13 community gardens focusing on food-insecure neighborhoods. community members to start the Shippingport Memorial Garden in Portland, the Community Green School in Parkland, and the Hope Community Garden in Beechmont.

2013

  • Conducts our first neighborhood tree planting in an all-out effort to restore the urban tree canopy and remediate the urban heat island effect in the community’s most impacted neighborhoods.

2015

  • Begins our annual Seeds & Starts Sale to provide low-cost plants, fruit trees and berry bushes to community gardeners. Plants are started in the greenhouse by our volunteers from seed. Proceeds from the sale of the plants supports the Community Garden Grant program.
  • Partners with Gate of Hope Ministries creates Hope Community Farm. a 45-member community garden, farm, and CSA located at 1400 Bicknell Avenue for refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.

2017

  • Opens their new office and community space, Healthy House, located at 1641 Portland Avenue. Healthy House is an engaging, energy efficient, sustainable community space providing programming focused on healthy eating and living and environmental education and equity.
  • Releases the Louisville Grows Community Garden Toolkit and Garden Grant program to sponsor community gardens throughout Jefferson County.
  • Established as a Sponsor and project site with the Corporation for Community and National Service AmeriCorps VISTA program.

2018

  • Assists the Shelby Park Neighborhood Association in achieving their goal to plant 500 trees in 5 years.
  • Develops consistent programming for Healthy Health expanding our outreach within the community.

2019

  • Louisville Grows celebrates its 10 year anniversary by planting its 3,000th tree!
  • Becomes a partner of the Green Heart Louisville project.

Trees

Louisville Grows’ neighborhood-based reforestation program focuses on rebuilding the tree canopy in neighborhoods with the greatest declining number of urban trees.

Gardens

Louisville Grows works with community gardens is to build capacity by providing technical assistance, education and infrastructure.

Healthy House

Louisville Grows’ headquarters, Healthy House, is an engaging community space that connects the neighborhoods we serve to various opportunities provided by our community partners.

Upcoming Events

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