West Hill Refugee Welcome Center
Albany, New York
The organization was seeking to improve and increase their food growing capacity that directly supports the local refugee population. We have provided assistance with design, project management, volunteer coordination, construction, and helped lead a successful community project, thus coming to fruition through multiple phases. Phase 1 was made possible through our partnership with the Historic Albany Foundation’s Tool Lending Library, which enabled us to have a great team of volunteers that came together around this community project, and collectively this team contributed nearly 100 labor hours. The RWC was able to secure grant funds through the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) which made the purchase of materials possible, and the gardens will continue to provide community resilience and gardening opportunities. Scroll further to see Phase 2.
Phase 2
An eager group of volunteer students and professors from SUNY Albany’s Center for Global Health’s GLOCAL Initiative came out for a day of service to help further improve the gardens at the center’s multiple garden plots. Over 40 young people showed up to make a difference in their community! We helped lead the facilitation of the volunteers and cleared trash from multiple city blocks, laid wood chips and compost, pruned fruit trees, and helped prep the gardens for growing this gardening season. We gave a short talk on local self-reliance, and the importance of developing green spaces and communities can begin to grow more food, and manage organic waste.
Phase 3
Now the time has come to grow, maintain, and build on the prior phases! The gardens are growing, and produce is being harvested! We will share more pictures and updates through the growing season!
