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(Photo courtesy of Victory Garden Initiative)
For the past 8 years, Victory Garden Initiative has installed raised-bed gardens across Milwaukee and beyond. From May 13-27, over 300 volunteers will join Victory Garden Initiative (VGI) for the nation’s largest garden-building event, the Great Milwaukee Victory Garden BLITZ. Over these two weeks, volunteers will build approximately 500 4×8’ raised-bed gardens filled with healthy, organic soil in front yards and backyards all over the city, bringing the total number of gardens installed by VGI to over 3,500.
The gardens, purchased by community members at an affordable price, are installed by volunteers and filled with organic soil from VGI’s local compost partner, Blue Ribbon Organics. Each garden also comes with a variety pack of 10 fruit, flower and vegetable seeds to help budding gardeners get started! Anyone can purchase a garden for their yard or business , and each year up to half of the BLITZ gardens go to low-income recipients at a reduced price. Residents of Washington Park, Clarke Square, Layton Boulevard West, Lindsay Heights, the 53218 ZIP Code and any Targeted Investment Neighborhood are currently included in the subsidized program. Registration to purchase a garden is open now until May 1st.
The BLITZ mobilizes hundreds of individual and group volunteers, who will meet every day at Habitat for Humanity’s Milwaukee headquarters, 3726 N. Booth St., to gather supplies and head out to neighborhoods to build gardens. Volunteer registration is open to individuals and groups. This BLITZ is spreading to other communities – VGI has trained both Green Bay, WI and Berea, KY to BLITZ their towns, and hopes to continue training others to move grass and grow food, creating a socially just, ecologically sustainable and nutritious food system for all.
To sign up to volunteer or get a garden, please visit www.victorygardeninitiative.org/blitz
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