Community Gardens Greenhouse - Lowell, MA
Growing communities from the ground up!
220 Aiken Street
Lowell, MA 01852
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Keep Lowell Beautiful
Lowell National Historical Park Volunteer
Yard Sale for Missions - Christ Church United
Holding Garden 2007
Rhubarb - LNP employees pick & bake pies for their break
Volunteer hours increased
from 5,428 hours in 2007 to
6,900 in 2008
153 citizens engaged in
volunteer activities
First Bloom gave away pansies at Earth Day 2009
2007 End of Year Statistics
Volunteer hours leap from
624 to 5,428 hours
19 locations are impacted
425 people engaged in
volunteer activities
Yearly Ongoing Projects
Organize & host annual Earth Day Festival
Provide plants for the Lowell Folk Festival
Provide greenhouse space for seed starting to the United Teen Equality Center  for
the Fresh Roots project and to the  New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (World
Peas) at Richardson Farm in Dracut

2009
Provided plants for an Eagle Scout garden project at the Lowell Boys & Girls Club,to
community gardeners at the Lowell Housing Authority sites and  to the Middlesex
Street Shelter gardeners. Provided garden space and plants to UML's Conscience
Alliance, who grew and cooked their harvest for the House of  Hope.
Launched 2009 Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) Campaign  for Merrimack Valley
Food Bank giving away starter kits of seeds, plants, row markers at various festivals
and plant sales.
Awarded M.O.R.I. Grant to seed start and project manage work with farmers from
Massachusetts Office of Refugee and Immigration at Franklin Court.
Partnered with the Lowell Film Collaborative; attended Lowell's 2nd Annual Film
Festival.
Awarded First Bloom grant at end of 2008 to develop a garden at Swamp Locks in
Spring of 2009.

2005-2009
Started seeding, growing, and selling local grown plants. In 2007,  opened the plant
sale to the public.

2008-2009
In 2008, paid for a membership in the New Entry Sustainable Farming World Peas
organization to grow garlic as a CSA (Community Service Agriculture) project.
Motorola employees planted 400 cloves of garlic in October 2008 during their Global
Service Day for the greenhouse. Garlic to be sold at Farmer's Market.

2008
Awarded a tiller/cultivator from Mantis & the National Gardening Association. The
Community Gardens Greenhouse was selected from more than 200 youth and
community gardening programs nationwide.
Launched Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) campaign to promote community
gardening.
  1. Designated garden space at the greenhouse property to create PAR display
    gardens donating proceeds to the Dracut food pantries and Council on Aging.
  2. Community gardeners begin to participate, donating to other food pantries and
    organizations
  3. Received several requests for help to create community gardens in the JAM
    neighborhoods (Jackson, Appleton, and Middlesex Streets) and from the
    Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA) neighborhood.
  4. City of Lowell requests community gardening information, recognizing citizen
    efforts and interests and offers to incorporate planning of green space with
    water sources into city planning efforts. Community Gardens Greenhouse
    Coalition is created for local gardeners to sell at Lowell Farmers' Market.
Worked in an advisory capacity with UMASS Lowell CPH-NEW, Center for the
Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace, for a Westford Nursing Home.
Established a working relationship with American Training of Lowell
Participated in a composting pilot program.
Championed a Litter Barrel Art Project for Franklin Street Garden created with SOAP,
Structured Outpatient Addiction Program    
Continued maintenance, support, and development of Dracut Children’s Memorial
Garden, Saint Patrick Neighborhood Garden, Cambodian Mutual Assistance
Association’s Vegetable Garden, Community Gardens Greenhouse Signature
Garden, Eric’s Garden at the Lowell Family Y
Sold herbs at the Lowell Farmers' Market

2007-2008
In October of both years, Motorola employees assist in fall cleanup at the greenhouse
during their Global Service Day.

2007
Awarded the Parker Foundation Grant for the City Gardens Project–the development
of educational resources and the creation of thematic gardens in urban areas of
Lowell. Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust agrees to become the fiscal agent for the
grant. City Gardens Project includes:
  1. Lowell Public Charter School Guerrilla Garden Project
  2. Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association’s Vegetable Garden
  3. Saint Patrick Neighborhood Church Garden
  4. Development of twelve workshops
  5. Creation of  the Community Gardens Greenhouse Brochure
Community Gardens Greenhouse Signature Garden developed
Rejuvenation of Eric’s Garden begins at the Lowell Family Y
Partnered with YMCA on Franklin Street Garden Project
Participated in the Merrimack Valley Agriculture program tour which showcased
innovative, community-based programs in the Merrimack Valley. Tour was part of  the
American Community Gardening Association’s annual conference which was  hosted
in Boston.

2005-2007
Continued partnerships and maintenance of the Garden of Big Ideas and Earthly
Delights and the Mary J. Bacigalupo Victoria Garden.

2006
Plant shelving materials, crushed stone flooring, circulating fan, seeds, flower, and  
mulch donations are received

2005
Restoration of the Mary J. Bacigalupo Victorian Garden begins in partnership with the
Lowell National Historic Park. .
Lowell's Life Alive Café sponsors a spring cleanup for the Garden of Big Ideas and
Earthly Delights and the Mary J. Bacigalupo Victorian Garden.

2004
Community Gardens Greenhouse is founded
Awarded a $500 grant to develop the Garden of Big Ideas and Earthly Delights  in
partnership with the Revolving Museum
Greenhouse, heating system, and mist irrigation system are donated
Entered into five-year partnership with Lowell National Historic Park to erect
greenhouse and develop gardens on-site
Created Dracut Children’s Memorial Garden sponsored by Dracut Rotary Club
Lowell Housing Authority Gardens