Collaborations
Collaboration has been the key to so many of Prosperity Garden’s successes. With many dynamic partnerships established we work together to meet shared goals, which positively impact our employees and our community.
CU City Farms/Carle mobile market
A collaborative community service made possible by Carle and CU City Farms, the mobile market works to assess and fulfill food and educational needs in Champaign-Urbana’s most at-risk communities. Becoming an agency of the Eastern Illinois Foodbank in the summer of 2020, the CU City Farms Mobile Market began delivering donated food and products to communities with limited access to grocery stores and food pantries, while developing relationships in these communities to address other unmet needs. From neighborhoods to rural areas, the Mobile Market will help to alleviate food insecurity, particularly in this challenging world moment of COVID-19 pandemic. Prosperity Gardens donated over 500 lbs. of produce in 2020, and through our workforce development program multiple employees staff the Mobile Market each week.
university of illinois
Prosperity Gardens has had the wonderful honor to partner with several different departments, professors and students since the organizations inception. Students and staff have worked on variety of projects together including; The School of Architecture, Department of Art and Design, University of Illinois Extension, Department of ACES and the Student Sustainable Farm. More than 500 students have clocked in over 2,000 volunteer hours since 2011, and Prosperity Gardens has received over $50,000 in in-kind donations.
sola gratia farm
Sola Gratia Farm is a community-based farm dedicated to producing locally grown, high-quality, natural produce. The farm promotes healthy lifestyles and community building through volunteering and service, special events and outreach and education programs. For the past 5 years, Prosperity Gardens and Sola Gratia have been working together to fight food insecurity. In 2017, Sola Gratia donated over 500 pounds of fresh produce to support the Mobile Market Program. Prosperity Gardens Production Assistants also worked once a week alongside volunteers and staff at the farm. They did a variety of farm work, gaining valuable knowledge about different ways of farming.
community partnerships
Each season Prosperity Gardens has the opportunity to integrate new and exciting experiences into our work-force development program. Production Assistants have the opportunity to participate in community outreach events, and public speaking engagements. Students have had experiences at University of Illinois’ student farm, Delight Flower Farm, and Neutral Cycle.