JCC Grows

What is JCC Grows?
JCC Grows is a program that encourages every JCC and camp to create and maintain a sustainable producing garden, and to donate a portion of their produce to help feed the hungry.

Why Gardening?
Gardens are a way to connect to the land, to make things grow, and to learn about what Jewish texts say about protecting and caring for the land. Gardening is an opportunity for all ages to work together. It reminds us how delicious natural foods are, and teaches us that food doesn’t come from the store or the fast-food restaurant. Gardening is good exercise too. Gardens are the first step in the long-overdue return to a more healthy way of eating and living. Gardening is an opportunity to share in the process of creation, to forge a community, and to have fun.

Gardening Is for Everyone
Planting and growing a garden on the grounds of a JCC or camp is a way to engage people of all ages in a wide range of activities. It encourages children to spend time outdoors digging, bending, carrying, and working together. It gives experienced and talented gardeners the opportunity to share their knowledge. It introduces novice growers to the pleasures and mysteries of the natural world, and the challenges of horticulture. Garden-based programming is educational, experiential, and lends itself to a variety of opportunities.

Download our complete JCC Grows Resource Guide on JCC Resources.

For more information on how your JCC can get involved with JCC Grows, contact Vice President, Program Services Cippi Harte at cippi@jcca.org.