Cooperative Gardens Commission
FOUNDED IN MARCH 2020, THE COOPERATIVE GARDENS COMMISSION (CGC) IS A GRASSROOTS COLLECTIVE WORKING TOWARD FOOD SOVEREIGNTY IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID19 PANDEMIC AND PERSISTENT INJUSTICE.
Best viewed in Adobe Acrobat
Grow food security in your community
Help us grow as an organization
Join our growing map of resources
Who We Are
The CGC is composed of hundreds of volunteers from across the United States and Canada working as a collective to facilitate sharing of resources — including seeds, soil, equipment, labor, land, and knowledge — and build solidarity across traditional divides. We are farmers, gardeners, activists, and organizers. We believe increasing local food production can help build community power and resilience.
While CGC began developing a new network in the face of this tragic pandemic — and the ineffective government response to it — we recognize that the movement for food sovereignty and against food apartheid is wide and deep, so we primarily seek to support the work of existing networks and projects.
Our Principles
#CoopGardens is a movement for everyone — regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, survivor status, ability, nationality, language, economic status, appearance, age, religion, immigration or documentation status, background, health, or any other personal characteristic.
We practice consensus-based decision-making that makes time for all opinions to be aired. We also work to create a community that holds space for the wisdom and experience of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people, immigrants, members of LGBTQIA+ communities, women, elders, the chronically ill, disabled, and immunocompromised people, and all others who are far too often marginalized by our society — or worse. We do not tolerate violence or oppressive behavior of any kind.
Seed Distribution Hubs
CGC has launched a free seed distribution project with local and regional hubs from coast to coast. You can find a hub in your area on the map above. This effort has been organized by our Seed Distribution Working Group.
Please fill out the form at this link:
Join Our Organizing Calls
The first and third Monday of every month at 8pm ET/5pm PT we convene movement-wide organizing calls to share information, announcements, and working group report-backs. We also hold discussions on different topics relevant to our work each call, and sometimes make collective decisions about important CGC issues.
Photo by Grace Winter Photography
Your Support
CGC is an all-volunteer organization currently operating under the fiscal sponsorship of the Experimental Farm Network (a Philadelphia-based 501(c)3 non-profit cooperative). We are pushing forward on many fronts in the struggle for food sovereignty, including land access, resource sharing, government policy, education, and community organizing.
To date CGC has provided free seeds to an estimated 12,000 gardens via 257 local seed hubs in 41 states.
We have not prioritized fundraising thus far — we have remained focused on doing the work. To sustain moving forward your help is increasingly necessary.
Whatever you can send is helpful and deeply appreciated
Some of the gifts we can offer for your monthly support!
