Soil, Seedlings & Sustainability: Urban Farm Renewal Day

Join Growing Hope Gardens for our Urban Farm Regeneration & Renewal Day, a hands-on community climate action event at our quarter-acre urban farm in Santa Monica. Together, volunteers will help restore and strengthen the farm while supporting healthy soil, local food production, organic-waste diversion, and greater climate resilience.

Our farm serves as Growing Hope Gardens’ nursery, composting, and agricultural hub, supplying seedlings, compost, produce, materials, and technical support to 16 off-site Resident Food Gardens located at affordable housing communities, permanent supportive housing sites, and homeless shelters throughout Los Angeles County. These gardens primarily serve underserved and low-income residents.

Volunteer activities may include:

• Turning and rebuilding compost piles
• Sorting and preparing plant material for composting
• Clearing and refreshing growing beds
• Applying compost, straw, and mulch
• Pruning and harvesting crops
• Planting seasonal vegetables, herbs, and pollinator plants
• Preparing seedlings for the farm and our Resident Food Gardens
• Cleaning and servicing hydroponic growing towers
• Organizing tools and improving shared growing areas

No gardening or farming experience is required. Growing Hope Gardens staff will provide instructions and help volunteers select appropriate tasks. We welcome individuals, families, community groups, students, and experienced gardeners. Volunteers should be dependable, comfortable working collaboratively, and willing to follow safety and tool-use instructions.

Many activities involve standing, bending, lifting, digging, or working outdoors in warm weather; however, lighter and less physically demanding assignments will also be available. Volunteers should wear comfortable clothing that can get dirty, closed-toe shoes, sun protection, and gardening gloves if they have them.

Growing Hope Gardens’ farm is a welcoming community resource where participation is always free. Community members may harvest available produce, attend educational workshops, and volunteer at no cost.

By participating, volunteers will help regenerate a farm whose impact extends far beyond its physical boundaries. Their work will divert organic plant material from the waste stream, improve soil health, conserve water, support pollinators, and produce food, compost, and seedlings benefiting residents across our network of 16 Los Angeles County communities.