We wanted to share this message from Grassroots Gardens with you.  New friends of Buffalo ReUse may not be aware that we’ve been collaborating with GGB for more than a year now to facilitate 22 new greenspace projects throughout Buffalo.  The link will take you to before&after photos.  Together, our goal has been to demonstrate the various options for vacant lot transformation.  The collaboration is funded, in part, by The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo other grant money and your time and donations to both organizations.  We are so grateful for your support in implementing some of the successful ideas we’ve seen across the country.  We join Kirk and GGB in asking you to support Grassroots fundraiser so that we can continue: transforming more vacant lots in the city, get you more fresh vegetables and create safe places for you and your kids to enjoy working the soil, vegetables and flowers right in your own neighborhoods.

From Kirk:
I write to you as a lover of Buffalo.  If you would’ve asked me how I felt about Buffalo about five years ago the answer would have been different.  I love Buffalo because the people in this city are so amazingly thoughtful, hard working and compassionate.  Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo allows Buffalonians a chance to take back the land that has gone fallow due to demolition and abandonment and bring it back to productive use by creating community gardens.

These gardens provide beauty and a source of food in the neighborhoods that need it most.  Grassroots Gardens Vice President Gail Graham, is a great example of a hard working Buffalonian that cares about his community.  He along with the Fargo Estate Neighborhood Association started their garden about 8 years ago and it has brought the community together.  This garden was so successful that about 2 years ago Linda Muscarella started Serenity Garden (right down the street from Gail’s!) which took back a long blighted lot, in this lot they grow food and beautiful flowers.  Our gardeners are the inspiration that keeps us moving forward!!!

Grassroots Gardens works to ensure that hardworking Buffalonians are able to access vacant land and bring it back to life, but we need your help to make this happen. On Thursday November 5th from 5:30-8:30pm Grassroots Gardens will hold it’s 3rd annual “Harvest Celebration” at the Karpeles Manuscript Museum at 453 Porter Avenue (former Plymouth Methodist Church)  This event is a fundraiser to help our gardeners do the important work of reclaiming Buffalo.  The event features beer, wine and cider, and appetizers from some of Buffalo’s best restaurants, and only costs $25.00 if you are a Grassroots Gardens Member, or $30.00 if you are not.

I look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Best,
Kirk Laubenstein
Grassroots Gardens
Board Chair