Gateway Greening

Specialties

Our mission is to contribute to neighborhood vitality and stability through community food projects, education and wellness programs, and civic greening.

We accomplish this mission by forming alliances with non-​profit organizations, faith based institutions, institutions of higher learning and neighborhood groups to provide resources for citizen-​managed open spaces that encourage healthier, safer and more enriched lives.

We provide the resources and knowledge that enable them to develop food producing gardens and landscaped areas on public land. We also work with area schools and institutions of higher learning to bring gardening programs into the classroom; educating children on the wonders of gardening through curriculum assistance, professional development, outdoor programs and other gardening activities.

History

Established in 1984.

Gateway Greening, formerly Gateway to Gardening (GTG), is a non-​profit founded as an all-​volunteer organization. The founding mission was to increase sources of affordable fresh food for inner city residents, to address the increasing number of vacant lots in inner city neighborhoods, and to provide indoor & outdoor classrooms to schools in threatened neighborhoods. GTG received their 501c3 status in 1986. As GTG, the Neighborhood Greening (now Community Gardening) program had an amazing effect on the neighborhoods involved. In 1991, GTG hired its first staff member, an Executive Director to raise funds for gardens. Since then, GTG has continued to grow, and GTG partnered with the Missouri Botanical Garden to provide for more people. In 1997, GTG officially changed the name to Gateway Greening, Inc. Along with community & school garden projects, GGI added new programs for schools & most recently into food security issues & job training, with the Whitmire City Seeds Urban Farm.