American Community Gardening Association
The American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) is a bi-national nonprofit membership organization of professionals, volunteers and supporters of community greening in urban and rural communities. The Association recognizes that community gardening improves people’s quality of life by providing a catalyst for neighborhood and community development, stimulating social interaction, encouraging self-reliance, beautifying neighborhoods, producing nutritious food, reducing family food budgets, conserving resources and creating opportunities for recreation, exercise, therapy and education.
Archi-treasuresArchi-treasures is an arts-based community development organization reducing social isolation by creating grassroots partnerships to build public spaces and empowering individuals to shape their future and the future of their community.
Chicago Lights Urban FarmThe Chicago Avenue Community Garden is located at the southern edge of Cabrini-Green, at the NW corner of Chicago and Hudson Avenues. For more than forty years Fourth Presbyterian Church has reached out to its Cabrini neighbors. The neighborhood is changing with the Chicago Housing Authority’s Plan for Transformation, and Fourth Church is committed to being a positive presence and resource for this developing neighborhood. Fourth Church hosts the Chicago Avenue Community Garden, drawing children and adults from the neighborhood to garden side by side with church members. In addition to gardening our individual and community beds, we also share fellowship through our monthly cookouts and weekend programming for children and adults, and offer social service referrals. Contact 312-573-3369.
Chicago Botanic GardenAs a living museum, the Chicago Botanic Garden seeks to encompass three important components: collections, programs and research, and service both to the public and scientific communities. Integral to this mission are the Garden’s urban programs, including assistance to school and neighborhood gardens, and free programs on various garden topics at Chicago’s branch libraries. Contact 847-835-6887.
Chicago Park DistrictThe Chicago Park District manages over 220 stunning facilities throughout the city – most can play host to your next event. For more information about the Chicago Park District’s more than 7300 acres of parkland, 552 parks, 33 beaches, nine museums, two world-class conservatories, 16 historic lagoons, 10 bird and wildlife gardens, thousands of special events, sports and entertaining programs, please continue on through the event section.
Friends of the ParksFriends of the Parks is an environmental organization that works to preserve, protect and improve Chicago’s parks, beaches, playgrounds, open spaces, public plazas and natural resources. The organization provides volunteer work days in parks, educational programs for children and adults, and partnerships with local park advisory councils on advocacy for park improvements. Contact 312-857-2757.
Garfield Park Conservatory AllianceThe mission of the Alliance is to establish Garfield Park Conservatory as the city’s premier destination for studying plant science and practicing horticulture, a place where schoolchildren can come to learn about the life cycles of plants and their importance to the environment and where backyard and community gardeners can receive expert information and practical assistance to succeed at their own greening and growing efforts in Chicago’s unique city spaces. Contact 312-638-1766.
Greencorps ChicagoGreencorps Chicago is a community greening and job training program. Its mission is to improve the quality of life throughout Chicago by providing horticultural instruction, materials and employment. Greencorps Chicago offers workshops, plant materials, technical assistance and educational programs to organizations working in public spaces. Contact 312-744-8691.
Growing PowerGrowing Power develops Community Food Centers for training, outreach and technical assistance on sustainable practices to grow, process, market and distribute food. Major initiatives include: Rainbow Farmers Co-op and the Farm-City Market Basket Program, Living Skills Education and Outreach, Learn to Earn: Youth Corps from the Ground Up. Contact 773-261-3979.
Midwest Ecological Landspace AssociationMELA strives to bring into regular use the most ecologically sound practices for landscape care and management, through leadership, ethical practice, learning and community.
NeighborSpaceNeighborSpace is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to acquire and support the community based management of small parks, gardens, natural areas, river edges, and scenic landscapes in the City of Chicago for preservation, conservation, and educational public open space purposes.
NeighborSpace primarily focuses on those parcels where community groups have established such gardens or parks. This kind of support can ease the burden of community leaders and local organizations wanting to ensure the survival of their hard work without having to shoulder the responsibilities of acquisition, ownership or liability for the property. Contact 312-431-9406 or
info@neighbor-space.org.
OpenlandsOpenlands Project works to protect open space-land and water-throughout the metropolitan Chicago area. Its Urban Greening Division works with Chicago communities to develop Neighborhood Open Space Plans and to help them install and learn to care for community gardens and other locally-managed green space. Its TreeKeepers program offers a seven-week spring and fall class in urban tree care plus volunteer workdays most weekends year-round. Teaching through School Gardens is a six-week course with continuing education credit for Chicago Teachers; and Building Urban Gardens, a partnership with the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, is an eight-week course in organic gardening. Contact 312-427-4256.
U of I Extension and Master GardenersThe University of Illinois Extension provides technical assistance on agriculture and natural resources, community and economic development, horticulture and home gardening, nutrition, family and consumer services. It sponsors area 4-H Clubs and the Master Gardeners program, including the Master Gardeners office at Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park. Contact 773-233-0476.
WRD EnvironmentalWRD Environmental is an ecological consulting firm that creates and fosters environmentally responsible urban landscapes. We design, install, manage and consult on landscape projects and programs that conserve natural resources, promote sustainability, cultivate biodiversity and restore nature’s balance. Contact 773-722-9870.
GreenNet is a coalition of nonprofit organizations and public agencies committed to improving the quality, amount, use, and wide geographic distribution of sustainable, green open space in the City of Chicago.