Giving Grove

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Giving Grove History:
In 2011, our founders tired of emergency food distribution embarked on a year of study to identify an alternative approach to building food security.

The Giving Grove helps communities grow sustainable, free food through neighborhood orchards that provide fresh produce, environmental benefits, and lasting food security. Our mission is to provide healthy calories, strengthen community, and improve the urban environment through a nationwide network of sustainable little orchards to dramatically increase access to healthy food. We envision:

-thousands of little orchards in food insecure urban neighborhoods across the nation;
-a system of local food production that feeds people for decades;
-a national network of neighborhood stewards trained in holistic methods for growing fruit; and
-urban neighborhoods transformed by their own work and generosity. They crafted a simple approach designed to make a big impact in neighborhoods that have the least access to healthy food. The “little orchard” concept was unveiled in 2012 as a program of Kansas City Community Gardens enabling us to share resources, jumpstart production and tap into an existing network. Having demonstrated successful orcharding locally, The Giving Grove became a separate charitable organization and piloted expansion regionally in 2017. The Giving Grove now has five affiliate cities and plans expansion into 15 more.

10/16/2026
Wait, the fruit is REALLY free?Yep. Free as in no price tag. No checkout line. Just fresh fruit growing in your neighbor...
10/16/2026

Wait, the fruit is REALLY free?

Yep. Free as in no price tag. No checkout line. Just fresh fruit growing in your neighborhood.

If you recently heard about The Giving Grove on NPR, welcome! We’re glad you’re here. 💚

Across the country, neighbors are transforming underused spaces into community orchards where fresh fruit is grown to be shared.

And here’s the beautiful part: These orchards aren’t just places to grow food. They’re places to grow community. Neighbors come together to plant trees, care for them, share the harvest, and create something that will nourish their neighborhoods for generations.

Of course, every orchard is a little different. Local communities help determine how their orchards are cared for and how the harvest is shared.

But the idea behind it all is pretty simple: Good food belongs in every neighborhood.

🌳 Stick around. We’ve got a lot more to share about how these little orchards are making a big impact.

For Erica Kratofil, our co-Executive Director, every call to a donor is a reminder that every gift comes with a story, a...
10/15/2026

For Erica Kratofil, our co-Executive Director, every call to a donor is a reminder that every gift comes with a story, and every conversation is an opportunity to connect. 🌱💬

In our latest blog, Erica reflects on these meaningful moments of connection.

👉 Read “What We Carry Forward”: https://www.givinggrove.org/blog-reference/what-we-carry-forward

🌳💪 More trees = healthier communities. And research is proving it!New research finds that increases in neighborhood tree...
10/13/2026

🌳💪 More trees = healthier communities. And research is proving it!

New research finds that increases in neighborhood tree canopy were associated with lower mortality rates across several health conditions.

This is another reminder that planting and caring for trees does more than beautify our neighborhoods. It helps build healthier communities!

👉 Read the study: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GH001651

Well, this is one way to make a million people feel like a pretty big dill. Wait, wrong produce. 🍎😂 Thanks, NPR and KCUR...
10/12/2026

Well, this is one way to make a million people feel like a pretty big dill. Wait, wrong produce. 🍎😂 Thanks, NPR and KCUR 89.3, for helping us share the fruits of this incredible community effort!

A simple concept from Kansas City is sweeping the country. Planting fruit trees on vacant lots and making the produce free to anyone has cascading positive effects for the community. Now, more than a million people live within walking distance of a Giving Grove orchard.

THIS THURSDAY! A familiar face is coming back to The Giving Grove (virtually, at least)!If you’ve been part of The Givin...
10/12/2026

THIS THURSDAY! A familiar face is coming back to The Giving Grove (virtually, at least)!

If you’ve been part of The Giving Grove family for a while, you probably know Amanda Lindahl! Amanda spent years working with our Kansas City team, becoming a favorite among local orchard stewards along the way. 💚

Now a Family & Community Wellness Extension Agent with K-State Research and Extension, Amanda is returning to share her expertise in our next FREE workshop: Harvest Preservation!

Join us on October 15 to learn practical, low-cost ways to make the most of your orchard harvest. From freezing and drying fruit to finding creative uses for imperfect or surplus produce, Amanda will share tips to help you waste less and share more.

📅 Thursday, October 15
⏰ 1 PM Central
💻 Virtual and FREE!

Whether you’re a longtime Amanda fan or meeting her for the first time, we’d love to see you there!

🍐 Register today: https://www.givinggrove.org/workshops/oct2026

🍎 A familiar face is coming back to The Giving Grove (virtually, at least)!If you’ve been part of The Giving Grove famil...
10/11/2026

🍎 A familiar face is coming back to The Giving Grove (virtually, at least)!

If you’ve been part of The Giving Grove family for a while, you probably know Amanda Lindahl! Amanda spent years working with our Kansas City team, becoming a favorite among local orchard stewards along the way. 💚

Now a Family & Community Wellness Extension Agent with K-State Research and Extension, Amanda is returning to share her expertise in our next FREE workshop: Harvest Preservation!

Join us on October 15 to learn practical, low-cost ways to make the most of your orchard harvest. From freezing and drying fruit to finding creative uses for imperfect or surplus produce, Amanda will share tips to help you waste less and share more.

📅 Thursday, October 15
⏰ 1 PM Central
💻 Virtual and FREE!

Whether you’re a longtime Amanda fan or meeting her for the first time, we’d love to see you there!

🍐 Register today: https://www.givinggrove.org/workshops/oct2026

10/09/2026
10/09/2026
New around here? We’re happy to have you! 🌱💚If you’re wondering what The Giving Grove is all about and how you can get i...
10/08/2026

New around here? We’re happy to have you! 🌱💚

If you’re wondering what The Giving Grove is all about and how you can get involved —we’ve got you covered. Click through to learn how you can be a part of the movement to grow urban orchards and food forests, stronger communities, and greener neighborhoods together.

Learn more by visiting our website at https://www.givinggrove.org/!

Address

300 East 39th Street
Kansas City, MO
64111

Telephone

+18162266380

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