TNDC Tenderloin People’s Garden

Mission: The Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation’s (TNDC) gardening began with the TNDC Tenderloin People’s Garden in 2010: A vacant lot near San Francisco’s City Hall transformed into what is now a vibrant and vital community garden. Located on the corner of Larkin and McAllister Streets, the TNDC Tenderloin People’s Garden was created as part of TNDC’s work for food justice, promoting a more equitable food system that prioritizes all people’s access to the basic human right of healthy food.  The garden brings together hundreds of volunteers of all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses to grow food and build community.

Get involved! General Volunteer and Scheduled Group Volunteer Questions:
Haley Caldwell
TNDC Volunteer and Corporate Outreach Coordinator
(415) 358-3944
hcaldwell@tndc.org

City Slicker Farms

The mission of City Slicker Farms is to empower West Oakland community members to meet the immediate and basic need for healthy fresh food, free of chemicals, for themselves and their families by creating high-yield urban farms and backyard gardens.

City Slicker programs are an immediate solution to West Oakland’s lack of real choice for fresh, affordable, healthy food. Our programs also have a long-term sustainable impact, changing underutilized urban landscapes into ones that provide healthy, affordable food and improve the environment for generations to come.

Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved with City Slicker Farms, to learn and to support our work.
• Volunteering
We have plenty of administrative and urban agriculture opportunities for people of all skill levels to volunteer in our Community Market Farms and Backyard Gardening programs.
• Farm Tours and Service Learning
We welcome tours and service learning workdays at each of our Community Market Farms. Learn how you can request a tour or workday.
• Allyships
We have administrative and urban agriculture allyships available (formerly known as our Urban Farming Internship).  Allies commit to volunteering with City Slicker Farms for a 3-to-4 month period.
• Youth Crew
City Slicker Farms’ Youth Crew is a summer program that introduces youth to food justice and urban agriculture. Youth Crew members work from June through August.
• Join the Board
We are growing our board of directors. Learn more about board service with City Slicker Farms.
• Join us at an upcoming event!
We frequently hold farm tours at our various community market farms, so check out the calendar to see what's coming up.

Learn More at http://www.cityslickerfarms.org/get-involved

Never Be Too Busy To Talk About What Matters

I learned how the People's Garden employees and Tenderloin Development Corporation representatives help with other things like how they turn hotels into apartment buildings that aren't as expensive as normal San Francisco residences. At SPAWN I learned  that there were two different types of salmon that they protect, and how English ivy is invasive. It was very fun to do research on CFTB because both Hanna and I love books, so when we talked to strangers about The Center For The Book - it felt enlightening. Otherwise morally I learned that there are many people out there who have different places on their minds - which seemed kind of disappointing for us because they'd rather be at work than listen to what we had to say.

~Vivi

Never Too Old To Play

So far I have enjoyed week two of LEAF. I discovered new games that I'll show my friends back at school. It turns out, even if I thought I had outgrown games, they are really entertaining! I learned a lot about myself on Wednesday, where we had to hand out flyers to strangers and talk to them about the establishment we support.

I went in there feeling burdened, remembering last year, where we had to do a similar activity. Though I dreaded it, Christina had a lot of fun with it. I was surprised to see her approach so many complete strangers. It was inspiring to watch her unfailing resolve and eagerness. I have a newfound respect for flyer people.

~ Nanette

Lessons Worth Sharing

Over the past few weeks we have gone on many great adventures and visited many amazing organizations. Although we only had a brief moment for them to share their wisdom with us we took away great lessons that are sure to be shared. From SPAWN to SFPUC these are moments I will never forget and hope not to.

~ Sam

We see a lot of LEAF!

This week I've seen a lot of Leadership, Ecology, Action, and Fellowship. I saw leadership at SPAWN when the interns taught us about the history and mission of SPAWN, macroinvetebrate sampling, invasive species removal, and native plant seed collecting. I saw ecology at the farm today when we worked the compost piles and put compost on the plants. I saw action and fellowship when we handed out the flyers we created for each of the organizations we support.

~ David

I learned that there are a lot of macroinvertebrates in streams and that planting is a lot of hard work. I can't wait for tomorrow and Friday, the last days of LEAF.

~ Jae

This week, I feel like I have noticed a lot of fellowship because on Monday we did a lot of trust/team games. Tuesday, we worked in teams at SPAWN. Wednesday (today), we worked in teams at the People's Farm, while handing out flyers, and at the Heart of the City Farmers Market. Another thing I have noticed this week is leadership, because even though we don't always have clear leaders, people will take leading roles to guide others (which connects back to fellowship).

~ JP

Loving LEAF

Reflecting on these past few days at camp - My days at camp have been very lively and unique. I really like the concept of riding the bus everyday, knowing that each stop will be helpful, educational and fun. Everyday, we learn something new and interesting. For example, I learned that we need a compost bin, the one difference between rainbow trout and salmon is that salmon go to the bay and trout doesn’t and I also learned that local food is better than produce from afar. I have been having a great two weeks at camp, talking to my new and amazing friends and enjoying each and every beautiful day, walking, laughing and smiling. A few of my favorite moments during the past few weeks were, serving food at Glide, eating chocolate chip ice cream and meeting a few wonderful people, who I am glad to call my friends. They make me laugh and I want to keep on smiling for who they are. They have supported me from the first day as I was still learning their names till now. I love LEAF and want it to keep on happening so we can enjoy it and love it for many more amazing years.

~ Polina