Community Orchard Programming

Bringing The Giving Grove to New York State

The Giving Grove is a nationwide initiative that supports the creation of community-led orchards. These are neighborhood green spaces planted with fruit and nut trees, berries, and edible perennials.

These orchards:

Provide free, fresh, nutritious food to neighbors.
Strengthen community connections and stewardship.
Enhance urban green space and environmental health.
Serve as hubs for education, connection, and community pride.

Across the U.S., similar programs have transformed vacant lots and underutilized spaces into thriving little orchards that feed people - and community spirit - year after year.

“We’re proud to be the first Giving Grove affiliate in New York State. Partnering with Giving Grove will allow us to bring even more resources and support to Rochester’s urban growers, and will be transformative for Taproot as well.”

~ Nathaniel Mich, Executive Director

Little Orchards. Big Impact.

The Giving Grove’s mission is to provide healthy calories, strengthen the community, and improve the urban environment through a nationwide network of sustainable little orchards.

What is The Giving Grove?

The Giving Grove is a national 501(c)(3) organization that is passionate about the multiple benefits of urban community orchards to promote food access and sovereignty, address environmental inequities, and serve as a green space for community connection. By supporting neighborhoods excited about fruit trees and located in areas vulnerable to environmental changes and health inequities, the program is designed to work side-by-side with resident leaders. Services include disease-resistant trees, maintenance tools, holistic orcharding supplies, site visits, and workshops. This allows resident leaders, who serve as orchard stewards, to learn to care for their own little orchards, which become community assets. After five years of successful programming in Kansas City, Missouri, The Giving Grove began a national action-aligned affiliate network in 2017. With a goal of growing a strong, sustainable network of orchard programs across the United States that share their expertise and best practices, The Giving Grove has steadily brought innovative organizations like Taproot Collective into the fold.The Giving Grove provides technical and financial support for program starts and expansions. It also offers an ongoing opportunity for partner organizations to learn and grow together in a network committed to supporting neighborhood vitality and healthy urban environments.

What This Partnership Means

As The Giving Grove’s first affiliate in New York State, we’re empowering local leaders, volunteers, and residents to:

Plant and steward orchard sites in neighborhoods with high food access needs. We currently work with two dozen sites with fruit trees!
Expand hands-on skills in sustainable fruit tree care and orchard management.
Harvest food that’s free for the whole community.
Build connections and vibrant community spaces, adding fruit to school gardens.

This work aligns with our values of food access, environmental sustainability, and community-led change. We bring a youth-focused approach to The Giving Grove, positioning us as a leader in this area.

How It Works

Our program follows The Giving Grove’s proven approach:

Community engagement: Local volunteers and leaders express interest.
Orchard planning: We design orchards with the community based on soil, water access, and needs.
Planting & training: Orchards are planted with support and stewardship training provided.
Ongoing support: Continued guidance ensures long-term orchard success.
Harvest & impact: After establishment, orchards yield free fruit for years.

How You Can Get Involved

Whether you’re a neighborhood leader, volunteer, or supporter, there are many ways to join this movement:🌿 Volunteer: Help plant, maintain, and harvest orchard sites.🤝 Partner: Connect your organization to Orchard projects.🌱 Donate: Support orchard establishment and stewardship training.📬 Stay Connected: Sign up for updates on orchard news and events.

To get started or learn more, reach out to our Garden Support Coordinator, Steph Rawleigh, at steph@taprootcollective.org.

Nationwide Giving Grove Partners

To learn more about our Giving Grove affiliate partners around the country, visit the Giving Grove website. We look forward to learning from these fine farmers and sharing our focus on youth empowerment with them.

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