This post is part three in a monthly series called Living our Values: first-hand accounts written by Grow Pittsburgh staff members illustrating the centrality of our organizational values in guiding our daily work. 

In December, we’re highlighting our value of Resourcefulness, which dictates that we are “creating hands-on opportunities to build individual and community self-sufficiency”.

Read more from Garden Sustainability Coordinator, Alyssa Kail, on how she prioritizes this value in her work and stay tuned in the coming months as we continue to feature how we’re #LivingOurValues:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

As Community Garden Sustainability Coordinator, this past autumn, I coordinated a series of skillshares focused on growing garlic: how to plant, care for, and eventually harvest delicious, organic garlic.  Community gardeners from all over the Pittsburgh area had the opportunity to not only learn a new skill but also convene to share their own knowledge and experiences with other gardeners. The format of these skillshares where we work together to plant the garlic and learning as we go exemplifies how Grow Pittsburgh’s value of resourcefulness is incorporated into our work.  Resourcefulness is important to me because it’s a form of empowerment through skill-building, with the ultimate goal of self-sufficiency.

Alyssa, center background in a black beanie, leading a garlic skillshare at the Mt. Washington Community Garden.

My job as Garden Sustainability Coordinator is to give ongoing support to community gardens in Allegheny County through initiatives like the Community Garden Sustainability Fund and the Community Garden Network.  The Sustainability Fund is a way to connect gardens to the resources they need to continue serving as long-term assets in their communities. such as tools, seeds & seedlings, replacement raised beds, compost, or fencing materials. The Community Garden Network seeks to connect gardens to resources as well, but primarily is a way to strengthen the connections between gardens and gardeners, as people are the greatest resource of all!  Next year, we’ll continue to build out a robust schedule of skillshares and other opportunities to bring together community gardeners to do hands-on activities to share knowledge and build food growing skills, community connections, and increased self-sufficiency. Stay tuned!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this value resonate with you? Share this post on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram, tag @growpittsburgh and #LivingOurValues and let us know what resourcefulness means to you!