Through a fundraiser called Dames Dish, the Cleveland Dames raised approximately $3,500, of which $2,000 was set aside for a grant to be awarded to a project that matches the Chapter’s Green Tables criteria.
 

Philadelphia Dames invited six major organizations who promote farm-to-table and inner city youth initiatives to talk to the Chapter about their goals, and how the Dames could help them further their initiatives. The Dames determined that raising money would be the best way to impact these organizations.

The Dames decided to create and produce note cards to sell at various Philadelphia events, with the proceeds going to these groups. The note cards depict the local vegetables sold at the Fair Food Farmstand, a farmers market extension of White Dog Enterprises located at Reading Terminal.

The note cards will be available for sale at the LDEI conference, and the Chapter invites other Chapters to sell them as well.
 

Kansas City Dames were one of many sponsors of the Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture’s self-guided tour of urban farms on Sunday, June 28 that included more than 30 farms and gardens from Shawnee, KS, to Independence, MO. The tour included a variety of for-profit, non-profit and a variety of urban agriculture sites. Sixteen pre-tour events took place the week before the finale tour, including gardening seminars, “eat local” restaurant dinners and a film viewing on how to raise chickens in an urban setting. The goal of the week-long series of events was to educate and inform the public about how to create “a home-grown” life. For more information, contact Dame Katherine Kelly at katherine@kccua.org.
 

Atlanta Dames are holding a “culinary” garage sale July 18th at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market with all of the proceeds going to Georgia Organics. The Dames will sell cooking utensils, cookbooks and table top pieces.
 

The New York chapter has been contributing to the GreenTables’ mission by raising tax deductible donations for EarthBoxes.

The EarthBox is a proven breakthrough in growing high-value produce in areas of poor soil, water and space availability. It is low-cost, low-maintenance, uses local inputs and consumes one-fifth of the water of in-ground drip irrigation.

Use of the EarthBox has immediate positive nutritional impact, for people otherwise unable to farm or to purchase food.

Children learn sustainable food production, nutrition and entrepreneurship. They grow vegetables, communicate with each other over the internet and demonstrate simple, low cost solutions to hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

Thanks to the generosity of our members, so far we have raised enough money to purchase 32 EarthBoxes !

These EarthBoxes will be distributed through The Growing Connection.

The Growing Connection was developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization, which leads international efforts to defeat hunger, serving BOTH developed and developing countries.

With pilot sites in Africa, Latin America and across the USA, The Growing Connection is an international network of children growing vegetables and sharing their experiences. The EarthBox is central to these efforts.

We welcome donations of any size, or the purchase of EarthBoxes at $50 each.

ALL funds raised go directly into the purchase of EarthBoxes.
There are NO administrative fees involved in the distribution of the monies raised.

Should you wish to add to our efforts and make a tax deductible donation, please email Dame Caroline McDonald at kinley.vale@verizon.net.

Houston Dames are busy on weekends manning the Cook's Corner at the Bayou City Farmer's Market managed by Dame Jacquie Miller. Dames create recipes using local, seasonally available produce, meats, eggs and cheese and hand out samples and recipes to inspire shoppers. In addition to making and handing out delicious samples, Houston Dames sell the Mary Nell Reck cookbook Flavors of Life with the funds going to culinary scholarships.

The Seattle chapter pledged $50,000 in 2006 and donated that amount to the Seattle Culinary Academy in 2007. Currently, the chapter is waiting on permits to build the greenhouse at Seattle Central Community College. Ground-breaking is expected in the next few months.

The San Antonio chapter continues to support the San Antonio Greenspace Alliance (formerly Bexar Land Trust) by contributing to individual community gardens. Our most recent recipient of $1,500 is the Eastside Community Garden Center.

The Minneapolis chapter gave the Community Design Center, the group responsible for the Eastside Children's Garden, a check for $7500. The money was raised during the chapter’s fundraiser Local Treasures, which celebrated local farmers and products.

The South Florida chapter funded grants to the Redland Christian Migrant Program, which runs a daycare center for children of migrant farm workers. Other projects include participation in The Fairchild Tropical Gardens Ramble Event, the Jomarron School Bus Service for Farmers' Market Transportation, the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Research and Education Foundation and the Everglades Community Association for the Mexican Market and Café…The chapter has several scholarship programs for individuals seeking higher education, and contributes funds to primary school programs centered around farming. Funds have been given to build elementary school vegetable gardens and for transportation for field trips to the working farms. The chapter awarded grants to two elementary school teachers to attend a state training program for Ag in the Classroom, a program that trains teachers to educate students about agriculture.

The Cleveland chapter continues its financial support for the Tremont Urban Learning Garden, a food-growing project for city teens.

The chapter also made a $2,500 contribution to the Garza Independence High School horticulture program. Dames also helped when Garza students toured Whole Foods and learned about the company’s food philosophy. Students enjoyed freshly baked pizza, natural cheese doodles, and sodas. Lucinda Hutson hosted a tour of her gardens for Garza students to enjoy. Patricia Bauer-Slate gave a cooking demo at the Garza classroom that included using herbs from the gardens. The Texas Culinary Academy gave a tour of their facilities, and Gina Burchenal has been giving kitchen scraps for the Garza compost as well as delivering coffee grounds donated by Emerald City Press.

The Austin chapter made a $2,500 contribution to Urban Roots, a program developed by YouthLaunch, an Austin-based nonprofit, dedicated to providing young people with long-term, meaningful service as a way to improve their own lives. Urban Roots is a youth development program that uses sustainable agriculture as a means to effect lasting change for youth participants and nourishes East Austin residents who have limited access to healthy foods. On a small urban organic farm, Urban Roots provides life and job skills as well as service opportunities to East Austin high school students. Teeming with life, this urban farm is a catalyst for positive change, building a healthier, more vibrant community. Urban Roots goals are:

• To empower youth to grow produce for people in need and to lead and teach volunteers on the land.
• To promote healthy lifestyles by educating youth, their families and communities about healthy cooking and eating, and about growing food.
• To serve the community by donating produce to food pantries and soup kitchens and by selling affordable, organic produce in East Austin.