2018 ANNUAL REPORT

Dear Growing Hope Friends,

2018 was a year of transition and redirection for Growing Hope; a time to reassess and refocus after many years of growth. When I became ED in June, we performed an across-the-organization assessment of our programing and reduced or eliminated some programs and expanded others. Our goal was to more clearly define our work and to deepen our programmatic impact.

Of all that was accomplished, the most significant for our long-term strategic growth was the release of a new mission statement, vision statement, and our first-ever value statements. These statements are our guiding principles that form the foundation of our organization moving forward.

Our new mission statement better captures and identifies the holistic and catalytic impact Growing Hope’s programs have across the local food system.

The vision statement is our hope for the future, the community we strive towards every day. Finally, our value statements speak to who we aspire to be as a staff and board, and guide our relationships with our partners and the community we serve.

We are proud to release this report and share the exciting changes that took place at Growing Hope in 2018. My hope is that you too will like what you see. As always, we could not do what we do without you. With deep appreciation I thank you for your continued and generous support of our work.

Sincerely,Cynthia VanRenterghemExecutive Director

GROWING HOPE’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Kerry Kafafian, Board PresidentSarah Wixson, Vice PresidentRebecca Stephens, Treasurer

Sarah Work, SecretaryLucy Binns, DirectorTom Daniels, Director

Bob Field, DirectorAimee Jones, Director

Caroline Sanders, DirectorCharles Waterhouse, Director

Taryn Willis, Director

To the Growing Hope Family of Friends,

Sweet Sixteen years old! What a transforming and exciting year it has been. Growing Hope is maturing into a long term, forward-focused organization. As I look back over the past year, what I’m most excited about is the people who have come together to support Growing Hope’s vision; our donors, our new board members, and our new Executive Director, Cynthia VanRenterghem. The hard work, experience, and expertise of these people have been vital to our growth and have allowed us to have an even deeper impact in our community.

And thank you for your contribution - each and every one of you have been key to Growing Hope’s impact on so many lives. We could not do this without your support.

Thank you,Kerry KafafianBoard President

Growing Hope fosters an equitable and sustainable local food system where all people are empowered to grow, sell, buy, prepare, and eat nourishing food.

Over the years we have expanded our work from gardening education to actively working to change and support our local food system. In 2018, we brought our staff, board, and key community partners together to revise our mission, vision and values to clearly reflect the scope of the work we now do.

Our Mission

Our VisionWe envision a community where all people--particularly those with barriers due to race, class, culture, language, ability, and mobility--have access to nourishing local food that is culturally appropriate and affordable, people can grow and prepare their own harvests, and may earn a living as a food grower, producer, or entrepreneur.

RE-ENVISIONING GROWING HOPE

Justice & EquityWe strive to dismantle systems of racism and oppressive power in the food system by ensuring fresh, affordable food is distributed and accessed fairly. We work toward greater equity to ensure people are not only food secure, but can participate in a more just food system.

Our Values

LearningWe empower people with the support, resources and knowledge to grow and prepare their own food, and have a role in the emerging local food system.

TransformationWe are inspired every day to do the hard workof transforming food systems and improving thehealth of our community.

IntegrityWe commit to creating an honest, constructive,and compassionate culture within our work spacesand in our interactions with our community.

PlacemakingWe aim to create welcoming and inclusive spacesthat are explicitly anti-racist and support diversepeople and ideas.

Our new logo, designed by Professor Leslie Atzmon’s EMU Senior Design Class students

We worked with Professor Leslie Atzmon’s Senior Design Class at Eastern Michigan University to redesign our logo and refresh our branding. Students helped us create a marketing brochure, and a new street sign for the Growing Hope Urban Farm. Thank you to Engage @EMU for funding the project.

Our New Branding

Visit growinghope.net/mission-vision-values/ for a more comprehensive list of our values.

On Our FarmWe added educational signage and more demonstration gardens to further develop our urban farm as a premiere garden education site in Ypsilanti. We continued to grow produce to sell and donate to local food pantries, but refocused the farm toward more educational programs for beginning gardeners, volunteers, and youth of all ages.

Our six Teen Leadership interns received farm shares from the urban farm

Urban Farm

• Ran three 10-week hands-on market garden trainings for adults

• Produced weekly farmshares for 24 families (averaging four people per family) at Sauk Trail Pointe Housing Community and for our six Teen Leadership interns and their families

• Expanded into cut flower production, increasing our earned revenue

Farm & Gardens

Youth & SchoolsFarm to School

• Obtained a corporate grant to re-grant to the Ypsilanti Community School (YCS) district to hire a part-time School Garden Organizer

• Supported the YCS Food Service Director in obtaining a 10 Cents a Meal grant from the state to purchase more local food for school meals

Seed to Plate

• Taught seasonal cooking lessons in classrooms, after-school clubs, and summer camps for pre-school, elementary, and middle-school youth

• Partnered with the West Willow Community Center’s youth summer camp using fruits and vegetables from the community center’s own garden

700

Ypsilanti area youth

interacted with our

Youth & Schools

programs

510

free

seed

lings

w

ere

dist

ribut

ed

into

the

com

mun

ity fr

om

our u

rban

farm

79% of market shoppers

say they feel more connected to the

community because they shop at the

Ypsilanti Farmers Market

Our programs are based at our two locations, the Growing Hope Urban Farm and the Ypsilanti Farmers MarketPlace.

A Year in Review 2018 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Home Vegetable Garden Program

• Re-engaged 34 participants who each received free plants, seeds, pest netting, informational handouts and a discount for garden tools at YpsiPlanti

• Accepted six new participants that each received two raised beds, free plants and free seeds

Teen Leadership Program

• Employed six Ypsilanti teens for 12 weeks, 15-20 hours a week

• Engaged teens in growing, harvesting, and preparing fresh produce on our urban farm

• Supported teens to become community leaders at the Ypsilanti Farmers Markets and area youth summer camps and programs

At Our MarketPlaceAfter a three year effort, we completed renovations on the Robert C. Barnes Sr. MarketPlace Hall, allowing us to run the Ypsilanti Farmers Markets year-round, launch the Growing Hope Incubator Kitchen, and rent space for private and public events.

The Robert C. Barnes MarketPlace Hall hosts public and private events, including workshops, fundraisers, and weddings

700

Ypsilanti area youth

interacted with our

Youth & Schools

programs

Farmers MarketsYpsilanti Farmers Markets

• Expanded to a year-round market season by moving into the Robert C. Barnes Sr. MarketPlace Hall from November - April

• Had total sales of $214,238, and total food assistance sales of $40,625 or 19% of all sales (SNAP, Double Up Food Bucks, WIC Project FRESH, Senior Market FRESH, Prescription for Health, and Hoophouses for Health)

• Had 31,686 total customer visits at both markets (this is not unique customers)

Food EntrepreneurshipOur New Incubator Kitchen

• Started operations in October of 2018• Provides small food businesses with a

fully equipped licensed kitchen space, dry and cold storage, available to rent for reasonable rates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Building Blocks Workshops

• Offered a catalogue of free workshops in the spring and then again in the fall

• Provided 60 local food entrepreneurs and new farmers with workshops covering topics including licensed food production, Cottage Food Law, and product marketing

79% of market shoppers

say they feel more connected to the

community because they shop at the

Ypsilanti Farmers Market

88%

of Mobile Farm

Stand

customers reported

increased household

ability to access

affordable, healthy

food

Our programs are based at our two locations, the Growing Hope Urban Farm and the Ypsilanti Farmers MarketPlace.

Mobile Farm Stand

• Visited 3 locations for 1.5 hours once a week from July through October

• Had 514 customer visits• Had $3,094 in sales of fresh fruits and

vegetables with 66% of those sales through food assistance

A Year in Review 2018 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

FINANCIAL DATA2018 TOTAL REVENUE

$758,7502018 TOTAL EXPENSES

$760,049

Grants47.9%

Other2.5%

In Kind2.9%

Special Events6.6%

Program Revenue

8.2%

Contributions

31.8%

Fundraising &Communications

22.7%

Program63.7%

Admin13.6%

Grants...................................................$363,165Contributions.......................................$241,455Program Revenue................................$62,226Special Events......................................$50,452In Kind...................................................$22,241Other......................................................$19,211

Program.................................................$484,194Fundraising & Communications.........$172,222Administrative.......................................$103,633

Volunteer of the Year: George SchlechtGeorge faithfully comes to our office at least once, if not twice a week to calculate and deposit donations and other checks. While he is our 2018 Volunteer of the Year, we would like to acknowledge that he has been providing us this service for over a decade. A huge thank you to George for his dedication and service!

300

volunteers worked on the Growing Hope Urban Farm in

2018

PARTNERSHIP & SUPPORT

• Washtenaw County Health Department• Washtenaw County Visitors Bureau• Washtenaw Dental

Foundation Supporters• Americana Foundation• Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation• Buhr Foundation• Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan• DTE Energy Foundation• James A. & Faith Knight Foundation• Mosaic Foundation of Rita and Peter Heydon• Key Bank Foundation• PNC Foundation• United Way• Washtenaw Coordinated Funders• WCC Foundation

Federal Supporters• USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP)• The Michigan Nutrition Network (MNN)

Corporate & Organization Supporters• Ann Arbor Professional Pharmacy• Ann Arbor State Bank• Bank of Ann Arbor• Beal Properties, LLC• The Bouma Group• Brewery Vivant• Capstone Tax & Financial• Comcast• Cultivate Coffee and TapHouse• Domino’s• Everyday Wines• First United Methodist Church• Gene Butman Ford• Lakeshore Credit Union• LaVision• Molina Healthcare• Ollie Food + Spirits• St. Joseph Mercy Health System• Toyota Motor North America• United Healthcare• Varnum LLP

It takes a community to impact a community. As an independent 501(c)(3) organization, we could not do what we do without the generous financial support of numerous individuals, foundations, and corporations. We owe tremendous thanks to the following foundations and corporate donors who have made financial commitments to Growing Hope.

We are tremendously grateful for and would like to acknowledge our 2018 individual supporters. Indicates individuals who donated $1,000 or more

Patti Aaron Paige AbernathyMatthew and Marianne AckermanSarah AherneDecky AlexanderTiffany AllenVeronica and David AllenSusan and Rich AllisonLilian AndersonGerry and Lizann AndersonSusan AndersonElizabeth AndrewsMichael Appel and Ruth KrautRobert and Jill ArcureJohn and Betty ArnoldJan Arps-Prundeanu and Octavian PrundeanuSue and Jim AshwellSusan AyerJenna and Rich BacolorCatherine Badgley and Jerry Smith

Stacy BairdCarola BakerTim BakerConnie Bank and Steven BennettKelsi BarajasAmber and Mark BarbieriKatherine BarnettBen Connor BarrieJennifer BarryLisa and Beth BashertSusan and Paul BassDeborah BayerStewart and Kathi BealKatie and Bruce BegoleSusan and Thomas BellinsonJan and Michael BenDorSheila Bentrum and Paul FortinoTom BerghElizabeth BerghoffJoseph BertolettiMegan Berry

Tom BeverlyEmma Beyers-CarlsonRebecca BiasLaura Siebrig BienJoan BinkowLucy Binns and Jack FrieseKarrie BlackShannon BlaskowskiErica BloomBill and Janis BloomDavid Boeving and Katie LiparotoSigrid BowerBarbara and Larry BowmanCatherine BraunlichKaren and Andrew BrennerJeff Briegel and Marion HoyerCarol BrodbeckJason and Terri BrodkeyPetula BrownDarla BruckGary and Shelley Bruder

Maria Brummel and Mary TaylorMelissa and Marco Bruzzano Bunyan Bryant and Jean CarlbergBill and Colleen BullardEllen Bunting and Ken SchwartzMartha BurbeckJennifer BurrisTom ButmanApril CalkovskyJames and Marci Cameron Susan and Michael CampbellInna CaronJames and Jennifer CarpenterGail and Kenneth CastleElizabeth and Royal CaswellBart CatalfioHolly CavanaughAmy CellAngela CesereJohn and Marsha ChamberlinDeborah and Allen ChapelChiu-mei ChenJim CherewickKathleen and Steven CicchiniKatelyn CoberleyHilary CohenMichael CongerChloe and CJ CookRicco CorbinMakenzie CornellChristy CourtneyKasie CousinoColleen Crawley and Ken CleinClarissa CristEric CrosonJim Crowfoot and Ruth CareyBrooks CurtisJenny DapperPamela DaviesCarole DarrElisa DerrigCarolin DickDavid Dickinson and Jeannine LaPradStephanie and Larry Doll DK and Eileen DoneganJillian Downey and Elph MorganCourtney DuffyCathy DyerRachel Egherman and Brian TellJoshua ElliotKyle EscoDavid Hulet and Brady EmmettMargaret Engle and Gavin ClabaughPatricia EvansAngie FarrehiKathleen FitzgeraldMollie FletcherRebecca FlynnDick Fortune

Leslie FosterGregory Fox and Sharon LeanNicole and David Frei Linda FriedLeslee FriedmanAthena FrieseJackson FrieseCarol FurtadoKayj Michelle GarrisonEric and Leslie GeiserPatricia and Jim GillisCatherine Gillis and Sam AllenMarlene and Andy GillisDan and Laura GillisTeresa GillottiCharles GirardAnn GladwinIrwin Goldstein and Martha MayoJanet Goldwasser and Stuart DowtyPeter Paul and Wendy GouineRandy GravelSteve GrayGretchen GreenThomas GritterNancy GroeningLindsey HallIdelle Hammond-Sass and Dale SassAudrey HanzlianRachel Brett HarleyCraig HarveyCindy HawkeDaniel and Jane HayesJudith E HeadyKent and Sue Herrick Mark Higbee and Kate LevinCynthia HodgesBenjamin HoustonMarie and Arthur HowardAnn and Brad HubbardHelaine Huenscher and Dale HunscherMiriam JaffaMary JenkinsMiranda JenkinsElizabeth JohnsonAimee Jones and Jeff Gutman Dave and Dorothy Jones Matt and Sarah JonesRoslyn and Marc JonesBrian JosephRosanne JowittChristine KaczkowskiKerry KafafianJason KahnNisha KapadiaRachel and Stephen KaplanSteve KarpoJones Kate and Share DavidRich KatoTrevor Karty

Eric Kennedy and Lynn HensleyBarbara Kessler and Dick SobleMichael Ketslakh and Kim VancinaKameron KilchristPeter and Susan KlaasWally KleinCarol KleinerCindy and Lewis KleinsmithRoberta Knox Chelsea KoehnMichelle KoershnerSusan KornfieldKatherine KrampJohn and Robin KrienkeJack KremerPetra KruppersMary KrzeczkowskiBenjamin Kuipers and Laura LeinMelissa KuzSusan LackeyMaris LaporterMary LarkinGail LauzzanaMargaret Leary and Russ SerbayHeather Anne LeavittRobert and Debra LevineKenneth and Jeanne Levy-Church Peter LinkRobin LittleKrystina LloydAmanda Long and Kris KorvunBarbara LucasMichael LucasSteve LueddersPatrick LuchaSally Lunn and Bob KrzewinskiDavid and Louise LuttonJoe Malcoun and Caitlin KleinHerbert and Lynn MalinoffKris and Scott MalyMelissa MarinElisa MarroquinIain Marshall & Gretchen Marshall-TothFejelParker MaynardLisa Mazzia M.D.Paul and Courtney McCreadieEmily McDonaldJonathan McDonaldTerrence and Mary Ann McDonaldConnie McGuireErin McRobertDerek and Amy MehrabanMercedes MejiaMark Meltzer and Sara PetersonAnn MeredithTheodore and Jacqueline MillerJohn Monnier and Andrea ZemgulysRob Moran

Mary Ann MorrisAndrew MorrisonCathy and Mike MuhaSandy MullallyJeanne Pearl MurabitoJim Murabito and Marilyn EysterVirginia MurphyDennis and Denise MurraySylvia MurrayMargaret NationKathleen NelsonSusan Nelson and Michael PagePatrick and Bea NestorAl Newman and Roddy WaresChuck and Sharon NewmanRuthann Nichols Dan and Sarah NicoliRobert and Mary Ann NisleyFaye OgasawaraCelia Fellin and Ron OzminkowskiOdell PalacioLindsey Palar and Paul VugteveenAlice Penrose and Kevin MillerMonica PercichCaroline PetrovichAllison PiippoAndrea PisaniLois Plantefaber and Patty MaherJoanne PohlHenry and Lana PollackA and Dayna PopkeyStephanie PrechterDorothy QuintLouise RamsayTimothy and Pattie RedmondRoxanne ReinherdtSusan M. ReinhartJessamyn Ressler-MaerlenderTimothy Richards & Constance McGuireConner RiveraAnn and Patrick RodgersBekki RodriguesCecelia RohrbacherAmy RosenbergAnn RouttElyse RubinAmy and Patrick RuchLillian RuizSteven RussmanAnne SalesCaroline SandersAnita and Peter SandrettoVeronica SanitateKelly SaranRoland Schaedig and Barbara HayworthCarolyn Schafer-GeurinGeorge and Joyce SchlechtAnn and Tom Schriber Claudia and Tony Scioly

Michelle Segar and Jeff HorowitzWilliam SerrellRoy SextonCarol ShannonRachel A. ShawChristine ShekoskiSharon Sheldon and Jim DickensonTom and Jean ShopeMia SilvestriDelphia SimpsonKatie SinclairLynn Sipher and Scott MannElizabeth SmithLinda and Bruce SokoloveGabe SolomonHeather SommerMichelle SouzaCraig Spangler and Teresa HonnoldValoree SprentallEileen SpringBethany and David SteinbergGrace and Tom StevickJudy Stone & Ann-Margaret Giovino Sandra StorhokInes and Eric StorhokMark Stranahan and Karen ProchnowDave and Paula StrenskiRuth and Paul StromMichele SubiaJim and Rebecca SundbergRuth TaubmanSheila TerronesErich ThomasMaxmillian ThomasShelley ThomopoulosAngela TrippMegan TurfCarole and Greg TurnerAnn Marie VanDuyneJane Van KirkAdriaan Van VeldenPeter VanAlstineBill and Abby VanderbiltJohn Vandermeer and Ivette PerfectoGloria and Erick VanDuyneCynthia and Rob VanRenterghemEdward VetortJohn and Karen VieraMorgan VizardTim and Jenny VroomRick and Patricia WaltersJack and Sharon WarrenCharlie and Diane WaterhouseDave and Sheila WaterhouseCathleen and Daryl WeinertVirginia Weingate & John McCauley John and Sarah WeissJoan WellsDavid and Deanna White

Abby WilfongFrank WilhelmeBob and Beth WilkinsonSam WilsonBeverly WiltshireCindy Winiarski and Cathy CarterBeth WinklerNanlouise Wolfe and Stephen ZunesJohn J WoodcockSarah WorkJan WrightJames YaegerThomas and Kyle YaegerWalid Yassir and Lisa ProsserDennis and Laura ZenderSuzie Zick and Peter SchermerhornKathryn Zuchowski

This is our first time listing all of our individual donors; if your name appears incorrectly, or you have changes you would like us to make for future acknowledgements, please contact Liz Warren at elizabeth@growinghope.net.

GROWING HOPE URBAN FARM

(734) 786-8401 922 West Michigan Avenue

Ypsilanti, MI 48197

YPSILANTI FARMERS MARKETPLACE

(734) 707-1795 16 South Washington Street

Ypsilanti, MI 48197

www.growinghope.netFacebook @growinghope

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