Editor’s note: As part of Xpress’ Nonprofit Issue, we asked local nonprofits to share a bright moment of 2017.
This fall, Green Opportunities was one of 23 organizations from across the U.S. to receive a $200,000 two-year grant as part of The Kresge Foundation’s initiative, Fresh, Local & Equitable, which supports neighborhood-scale projects leveraging healthy food and creative placemaking for equitable economic development.
After being selected to participate in FreshLo in 2016, GO, in partnership with the Southside Community Gardeners and Southside residents, completed a one-year planning phase for the Southside Arts & Agricultural Center.
During the past year, the coalition hosted workshops and garden parties in the Southside Community Garden, introduced a grab-and-go food cooler stocked with free, healthy snacks to the Edington Center and strengthened relationships with community-based arts organizations, including Word on the Street and Asheville Writers in the Schools and Community.
The purpose of the Southside Arts & Agricultural Center project is to support healing, restoring and reclaiming community culture; support emerging leaders; grow food; and incubate economic development. The center will celebrate black culture, creativity, arts and agriculture. Specifically, this grant will provide funding for the Southside Community Garden as well as the renovation of the auditorium in the Arthur R. Edington Education and Career Center. The Asheville Housing Authority will raise the remaining funds required for the auditorium renovation.
— J Hackett, executive director of Green Opportunities
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.