Sow Seeds of Change on Erie Gives this August 13th!

Devastating vandalism; malicious intent. Doesn’t sound very hopeful, right? The damage to our only USDA-approved urban farm in June was a gut-wrenching blow. Our Youth Work Experience teens, dedicated volunteers, and staff had been working for 2 months to prepare for the Little Italy Farmers Market when vandals came and destroyed 85% of the produce.

That Friday was a dark day. BUT, when word spread, the community outpouring of support rendered us speechless. On Monday evening, just three days later, the entire garden was rebuilt and there were plants leftover!

People we knew and people we didn’t know came to help us rebuild. You brought plants; you brought soil; you brought tools and knee pads; your donations enabled us to install security cameras; you brought food and drinks; you brought helping hands to do the digging. Most importantly – you brought hope with you. You restored us and our garden.

Together, we harvested hope.

Will you help us reach our goal of $35,000 for Erie Gives 2024? Your gift is matched by bonus bucks from the Erie Community Foundation and every donation matters. This special day runs for 24 hours on August 13^th and you can click here to give. Questions? Please contact Jenn Kennedy at jkennedy@ssjnn.org or 814-454-7814 x206.

Thank you for showing your love and support to SSJ Neighborhood Network for the past 24 years, we couldn’t do it without YOU!