LOVELAND YOUTH GARDENERS

PLANTING SEEDS | GROWING YOUTH | NOURISHING COMMUNITY

2019 IMPACT REPORT

MISSION The mission of

Loveland Youth Gardeners is to

cultivate job & life skills, environmental

stewardship and service in youth

facing barriers to success, by building healthy relationships

with people, agriculture, and

community.

VISION

Our vision is for all youth to realize their value and potential and be equipped to lead a healthy and

productive life.

Our Impact As we wrap up 2019 and review the success stories and statistics, I am always in awe of how much our little (but mighty!) organization can accomplish. In our 23 years of service, we have served over 4,000 youth in our community. That is amazing! Thank you for continuing this journey with us. In 2019, we said goodbye to our Executive Director, Heather Anderson, and now welcome Jessica Morgan, our new ED. We’re so grateful to Heather for all her hard work and are sad to see her go. I am confident that Jessica will pick up where Heather left off and provide dynamic leadership as we continue to meet the needs of at-risk youth. Some of you might remember Jessica from when she served on our Board of Directors and also interned with us in the past. She has a lot of great ideas for LYG’s future and a deep passion for our mission. Look for more information about Jessica as she begins this new adventure with us soon. As we prepare for the 2020 growing season, I’m excited about all we have planned. Erica Wharton, our program director, along with our program instructors, will be running our summer programs at our current site (907 S Lincoln Ave). During that time, we will be working on getting our new gardens at the Loveland Boys and Girls Club ready for the 2021 season. As we start our 24th year, I hope that you will join me and the rest of the Board in serving the youth of our community and helping them realize their value and potential. Sincerely, Mark Tobin LYG Board President

1511 E. 11th St. #275 Loveland, CO 80537

LovelandYouthGardeners.org

MISSION The mission of Loveland Youth Gardeners is to

cultivate job & life skills, environmental stewardship and service in youth facing

barriers to success, by building healthy

relationships with people, agriculture and

community.

VISION Our vision is for all youth to

realize their value and potential and be

equipped to lead a healthy and productive

life.

1511 E. 11th St. #275 Loveland, CO 80537

970-669-7182

“This program is so amazing! I’m so amazed at how my boys have grown so much!” –Parent

“LYG is a great community and really helpful for kids like me. After (attending) Loveland Youth Gardeners, I am more confident about

myself now.” –Student

“It’s changed me a lot. I was a quiet kid, but I went and I made friends. This program has helped my confidence a lot. I used to be afraid of giving ideas in group projects, but now I’m not afraid to

share my ideas.” –Student

THE NEED CONTINUES As we look to the years ahead, we

see the continued need for the work and service Loveland Youth

Gardeners provides for young people facing barriers. It is as

important as ever for youth to take a break from screen time, to be

physically active outdoors while connecting with nature and the

food they eat, and to build relationships that show them they have potential to do great things.

2019 YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS

300+ Youth Served; 2,900+ Hours of Programming

100% of our evaluated students showed growth in 7 key areas: Being

Prompt & Prepared; Time Management; Attitude & Behavior;

Communication; Working Hard; Responsibility; and Working with

Others.

Youth Gardening Program (ages 13-18): 11 students; 1590+ program hours

May through September, participants grow their own gardens and are taught a gardening curriculum,

which emphasizes sustainable horticulture practices. In addition, they develop job and life skills such as responsibility, teamwork, communication, problem

solving, and leadership.

Leaf Out Gardening Program (ages 14-21): 7 students; 1000+ program hours

In Leaf Out, students fine-tune the job and life skills learned in the Youth Gardening Program by tending

community gardens and growing food in the LYG Production Gardens to sell to local restaurants and at

farmers markets, as well as donate to low-income neighbors. 2019 Leaf Out Program students expanded their production garden sales to include 2 restaurants:

Origins, Door 222, 3 Harvest Dinners and bi-weekly Farmers Markets with sales totaling over $4,500.

Loveland Plant a Row for the Hungry (Sponsored by LYG in collaboration with House of Neighborly Service and Food Bank for Larimer County) •3,162 pounds of fresh produce was provided to our low-income neighbors by our participants, local gardeners, area farmers, and faith communities. Loveland Youth Gardeners contributed 300 pounds to that total. •Loveland Plant a Row has now gathered over 205,000 pounds of fresh, donated produce for our community since it began in 2005.

MAY 14TH SPRING TOMATO & PLANT SALE at LYG

JUNE 13TH LOVELAND GARDEN TOUR & ART SHOW

JULY 18TH NOCO URBAN HOMESTEAD TOUR

Enterprise Internship Program: 3 students; 170+ program hours This program focuses on building upon the job and life skills learned in earlier programs. Through a collaboration with the Loveland Downtown Partnership

and local businesses, the EIP planned, planted and maintained several planters in the downtown Loveland area, as well as grew pumpkins

for a local restaurant’s October event.

Branch Out Program (ages 3-21): 280 participants; 150+ program hours Our BOP encompasses all of our year-round educational outreach

experiences, serving all youth in our community, ages 3-21, through both on and off-site programming. In 2019, the youth served through this educational program had the opportunity to participate in gardening activities by way of partnerships with organizations like Shattering the Silence and several schools

in the Thompson School District.

EVENTS: This year’s events were a great success, bringing in $30.555 to support the

continued success of Loveland Youth Gardeners. The 2019 Loveland Garden Tour & Art Show was

the most successful to-date!

Mark your calendars for our 2020 events:

Stay tuned for other events in support of LYG!

2019 Staff:

Heather Anderson, Executive Director

Sharon Maier, Executive Assistant Erica Wharton, Program Coordinator

Shelby Tutlhill, Instructor, Youth Gardening Mel Babion, Intern, Youth Gardening

Clay Tomcak, Instructor, Leaf Out Gardening and LYG Production Manager

Ashley Miller, Intern, Leaf Out Gardening Erik Nutting, Instructor, Enterprise Internship

Board of Directors:

Mark Tobin – President

Todd Wirsch – Vice President & Secretary

Tom Paulson – Treasurer

Andrew Swanson – Board Member

Erica Wharton – Board Member

Mary Bahus-Meyer – Board Member

LYG’s many volunteers contributed 1,300+ hours of service worth more than $33,500.00 to our Youth Education Programs, Loveland Garden Tour & Art Show, Urban Homestead Tour and/or administrative tasks including fundraising, outreach, marketing, program development and evaluation.

Volunteers

Special thanks to everyone who gave time, talent, and/or

treasure in 2019. We appreciate your support of

Loveland Youth Gardeners and the students we serve.

Thank You!

2019 Financials

Total Income: $126,973.70

Individual Donors: 15% Business/Corporate: 11%

Grants/Foundations: 37% Events/Sponsorships: 26%

Special Events: 2% Earned Income: 9%

Total Expenses: $132,562.77

Programs: 78% Administration: 11%

Fundraising: 11%

Individuals Donors

Anonymous (12) Ahlstrom, Paul & Janet

Aranow, Judith Bahman, Connie

Barraclough, Joseph Benkendorf, Del & Stevie

Bingham, Eve & Bruce Johansing Boynton, Teresa

Bunce, Karel Cantley, Jack & Lindsay Carraher-Keuter, Mary

Clark, Nancy & Joe Chastain Conrey, Mike & Beth

Davis, Mitzi DnT Lerner Fdn (David Lerner)

Dodge, Robin Dukart, Lane

Edwards, Debbie & Rick Edwards, Jennie Farr Family Fund

Fraser, Dixie Furman, Amelia

Gillespie, Don & Carol Gillis, Kathryn

Glinsman, Derek & Kay Goes, Chris & Stephanie Green, Dave & Marcia

Gueswel, Cyndi Gunderson, Edie & Ray

Harry and Jody Love Family Fund Hayes, Brian & Teri

Heyrman, Linda Herrigan, Charels & Peggy

Johannsen, Jody Kopp, Hollie & Adam Crowe

Leap, Brenda Leszczynski, Kim

Ligon, Linda & Thomas Love Family Fund, Harry & Jody Love

Mama, Khursheed Mannering, Doug & Lynette

McDonald, Ruth & John McGee , Elizabeth

McKee, Kimberly & Philip Meidl, Erika

Menzies, Leah Morey, Susie

Muhonen, Pam Muirhead, Jean

Nusser, Mary & Rick Parker O’Connell, James

Ohs, Lory

Individual Donors cont.

Parsons, Mark & Sue Patterson, Veronica

Paulson, Thomas Jr. & Rebecca Peery, Jerran

Peterson, Mary Ella & Dale Rago, Joanna

Reynolds, Chuck & Sandy Robson, Barbara

Roos, Charles & Katherine (Barb & Sam) Runyan, Alan & Lynn

San Filippo, Tom & Alyssa Stephenson, Joan

Suchecki, Mary Taylor, Carolyn & Chuck Riblett

Tobin, Mark & Carol Webster Tuttle, Ron & Marilyn

Weinstein, Bob & Tina Wright, John

Zink, Charlotte & Benjamin

Event Sponors

AlphaGraphics

Bath, Inc City of Loveland Water & Power

Colorado Gardener Detailed Landscape

First Bank Fort Collins Nursery Fossil Creek Nursery Full Circle Creative

Gardens on Spring Creek Gulley Greenhouse

KUNC Loveland Garden Center

Northern Water Odell Brewing

OtterCares Sage Holistic Health

SavATree Scott’s Loveland Auto

Sprouts Wild Birds Unlimited

Thank You to our Supporters!

“I support Loveland Youth Gardeners because the programs address community needs that concern us, including education,

environmental stewardship, nutrition and food security. Since 1996, LYG has provided opportunities for young people to learn new skills, to overcome personal challenges and to develop the

gifts that each one brings to the programs.” –Donor

Service Clubs and Churches Community Kitchen

Elks Lodge Loveland 1051 Loveland Garden Club

“Thank you so much for giving the opportunity and skills to my son and others; to build their confidence, knowledge and self-reliance. I appreciate the time and effort that is so generously given to the program, the community and our families. You guys are awesome!” –YGP Parent

Business/Corporate

Amazon Smile Crow Hop Brewing

Door 222 Grace Yoga

Java Drive Espresso Loveland Academy of Music

Loveland Aleworks Loveland Downtown Partnership

Macy’s Nutrien

Odell Brewing Origins Wine Bar & Wood Fired Pizza

Taste Local

Grants/Foundations

Abrons Foundation Community Foundation of Northern CO

Guber Family Giving Fund NoCo Unify

Nutrien Ottercares

Tyler Rigg Foundation Xcel Energy Foundation

Service Clubs/Churches

Associated Veterans of Loveland Loveland Garden Club

NoCo100 Quota Int'l

In-Kind Donations

Fuerniss, Janet & Cameron Gardens on Spring Creek

Kauffman, Troy & Beth King Soopers

Loveland Garden Club NoCo Field Mowing

Nusser, Mary

Rowe's Flowers Safeway Scheel's

Uncle Benny's Valencias, Rebecca

Verboten ZingServe

1511 E. 11th St. #275 Loveland, CO 80537

LovelandYouthGardeners.org 970.669.7182

ADS Ahlstrom, Janet & Paul BES Bingham, Irv City of Loveland Dunn, Tonya Fort Collins Nursery