Announcing the Mountain Rose Herbs Grants 4 Plants Winners
This Spring, Mountain Rose Herbs (MRH) launched its second annual Grants 4 Plants project, offering the herbalism community five $4,000 grants to fund plant-powered projects that build community and better the planet. The goal was to help plant- or conservation-centric projects that needed a little extra help to make it come to fruition. MRH was inspired by the hundreds of passionate applicants and submissions from across the U.S. MRH is pleased to announce the 2019 Grants 4 Plants winners.
The winners are:
MAPLE Microdevelopment: This organization will work with residents from Emerald Village Eugene (EVE) to build an on-site greenhouse, allowing the community to grow its own organic food and herbal medicine. EVE is a self-managed cooperative that houses people with very low incomes, many of whom have previously experienced homelessness. The greenhouse will provide food for healthier diets, support income generation, and encourage community cooperation. After using their share of produce and herbs, residents will sell the surplus at a local market and empower residents through agricultural education, teamwork, and self-reliance.
Borderlands Restoration Network: The grant funds will support their project, “Agaves for Bats: Educational Tools for Environmental Stewardship.” They will develop, translate, print, and distribute a bilingual booklet about agave restoration for land managers in the U.S. and Mexico. Focusing on seed collection, curation, propagation, and out-planting agaves into natural and farmed landscapes, these educational tools exemplify environmental stewardship by protecting the biodiversity in their local ecosystem.
Hawthorn Community Herb Collective: This volunteer-run group will use the grant to offer free herbal education workshops to families in transitional housing and at a women's prison. The classes seek to provide fundamental tools and allow people to care for themselves and their communities. They believe herbalism is enriched when everyone can share their individual knowledge so we may learn and grow together.
Perennial This nonprofit teaches people unique ways to reuse materials and live a sustainable and self-sufficient life. They aim to make natural products and processes accessible while fulfilling their mission to turn discarded items into cherished objects. The grant funds will help to expand their apothecary to encourage folks to explore and experiment with natural finishes, dye stuffs, oils, and waxes. They will also be building an outdoor classroom and demonstration garden, giving class participants a beautiful space to learn about native plants and natural dyes.
Urban Tilth: This organization will be using the grant to expand its Urban Agriculture Academy which includes garden and education programs and a new afterschool student wellness club. This group addresses the needs of teenagers dealing with mental health obstacles such as stress, depression, and anxiety. They aim to support students in creating inner peace through working in the garden and finding ways to heal themselves with plants and art. Workshops are also held for adults and youth in the community who create recipes for value-added products, which are sold by Urban Tilth to support their education programs and ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization.
For more information contact Jessicka Nebesni at PR@mountainroseherbs.com or 541-741-7307 x. 192