ARK plants community garden behind SKYKING

The ARK Community and Resource Center is building a community garden in the green space behind SKYKING Pizza on Main Street. 

ARK director, Mike Turpin, is partnering with local Whitney Gorbett, the founder of Woven Philanthropy, to connect the community to the project. The duo has also built out two private gardens to benefit The ARK.

Gorbett owns an event and production company that allocates a percentage of proceeds to support local and international nonprofits. Turpin said he is “really happy to have the organizational skill” Gorbett brings to the project. 

Turpin built half a dozen raised beds for the green space behind SKYKING. The community is encouraged to sign up through Woven Events Philanthropy to participate and volunteer their time. 

The “gather and give back” form can be found here. 

“Tell us what you're passionate about, a way you'd love to serve, or a local need in the community,” the online form says. “From community gardens to creative gatherings, we desire to connect locals with opportunities to give back by utilizing their skills and passions. Please sign up below to let us know what you would like to participate in, and feel free to share any new ideas.” 

Apart from signing up to volunteer your time and expertise to the garden, The ARK is looking for soil donations. 

The produce from the garden will be used to supplement The ARK’s monthly food pantry – which currently feeds around 200 Kingston Springs and Pegram members. The initiative is being propelled by the growing number of food pantry clients – but not enough food to feed all of them. Turpin explained that over the past 18 months, the ARK was receiving a federal grant, called Farm to Families, that allowed him to purchase 200 pounds of meat every two weeks. That grant was recently slashed by more than half. 

Due to this, The ARK also launched its “Share the Harvest - Grow a Row” initiative, inviting community members to plant an extra row or two in their gardens this growing season and donate the harvest to help feed local families. You can pick up a free seed packet at Noah’s Closet or The ARK today.