Multiple nonprofits are partnering to help immigrants and refugees in metro Atlanta grow healthy food and stay in touch with their roots.
Love Tito’s and Food Well Alliance are hosting a service project Friday to revitalize Decatur’s Kitchen Garden, an urban garden meant to preserve agricultural heritage. They also launched a matching donation campaign, which aims to raise $10,000 by Friday.
The garden currently offers 36 large community growing plots for international families, most of whom came to the Atlanta area as refugees. Located at 500 S. Columbia Drive in Decatur, the garden is led by Global Growers Network in collaboration with the City of Decatur. The produce grown at the site reflects the diverse background of the growers, according to a news release.
The philanthropic arm of Tito’s Handmade Vodka — Love Tito’s — and Food Well Alliance, a network of local leaders who build farms and garden in metro Atlanta, are leading the charge to help improve the Decatur greenspace.
Love Tito’s began supporting the Food Well Alliance in 2020 through its Block to Block program, but most of its events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, it has provided donations to assist Food Well Alliance in its pandemic response efforts. The Food Well Alliance was founded by Cox Enterprises Chairman Jim Kennedy and Atlanta Community Food Bank founder Bill Bolling with financial backing from the James M. Cox Foundation. Cox owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The two organizations are seeking volunteers for the service project, which will include weeding the herb garden to prepare it for replanting, installing new debris bins and watering and mulching fruit trees, according to a news release. A garden tool drive for new trowels, shovels, gloves and soil will also be held Friday. Both events will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
Donations will be accepted through Friday. The news release listed how the charities will match each donation and what goods will be provided to Decatur’s Kitchen Garden:
• $25 gets $50 worth of garden tools
• $50 allows growers to get $100 worth of training
• $100 delivers $250 worth of finished compost
• $250 supplies $500 worth of plowing equipment
Donations are being accepted at foodwellalliance.org. To volunteer Friday, visit acfb.volunteerhub.com/lp/titosvodka.
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