Neighborhood Nonprofit Spotlight: Plant the Seed

Patch talks to Susannah Fotopulos from Plant the Seed about its mission to create dynamic outdoor learning environments for the students enrolled in Nashville Public Schools.

Patch: Tell Patch a little bit about your organization!

Plant the Seed: Plant the Seed is a nonprofit program that shapes community and school gardens into outdoor classrooms to educate and empower under-resourced young people—building cultural connections, advancing economic justice and improving their overall health and well-being. Plant the Seed provides hands-on garden-based learning within predominantly low-income (70% free and reduced lunch) Nashville area schools.

Our programming is currently fully-integrated into the learning objectives for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students throughout Davidson County, with plans to grow as the children age into first grade through middle school. We conduct site assessments at each location, build site and age-appropriate growing environments, orient teachers to the garden and ways it can enhance their classroom objectives, and develop seasonally-relevant lessons for each student at least once a week.

Additionally, Plant the Seed has developed a printed garden education resource to guide other pre-k and elementary education programs in establishing garden-based learning that can be integrated into their curriculum, classroom and school culture. Our programming currently serves around 950 students in Metro Nashville.

Patch: How does your organization help to strengthen the local community?

Plant the Seed: Plant the Seed provides experiential garden-based education to children ages 4-14. By partnering with pre-k and elementary schools, as well as community-based organizations working with young people, in the most vulnerable neighborhoods in Nashville, PTS is part of a national movement seeking to make school and community gardens sources of vitality in low-income areas.

Through meaningful relationships with schools and community organizations, PTS increases food access and awareness for young people who may be food insecure—improving the health and well-being of students and their families, as well as providing directly-applicable learning experiences that enrich students' academic curriculum and boost their civic engagement potential.

Patch: What is the biggest struggle your organization faces?

Plant the Seed: We have some work to do to grow a diversified funding base. We have exceeded the expectations of the local school system, but it still feels really volatile and dependent on leadership and annual budgets. I'd like us to have more security and trust that the services we provide are valued and funded for the long haul.

Patch: What do you hope for the future of your nonprofit?

Plant the Seed: I would love to see each elementary school within Metro Nashville Public Schools have an educational garden space that is integrated into the school day and curriculum. There is so much that can be learned in the garden--related to every subject matter and about important things, like where food comes from and how to inspire healthy, lifelong habits. I would like to see the next generation of Nashvillians have a different and healthier relationship to food and to one another. I'd like each young person to feel like they can make a positive impact on the world around them. It all starts with one seed...

Images via Susannah Fotopulos, Plant the Seed