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Gardening through Refugee Organization (GRO) Project

Contact Name & Title: Larry Dixon, Project Consultant
Address:
City, State & Zipcode: Boston-area, MA
Phone:
Email: ldixon02@gmail.com
Web Address:

Project Description:

The Mutual Assistance Association (MAA) Coalition of Massachusetts is building on a nine-month planning process to initiate the Gardening through Refugee Organization (GRO) Project in the Boston-area. The growing movement in locally and sustainably produced foods, especially in Massachusetts and the Boston area, can provide refugees who come from agrarian backgrounds with alternative pathways to success by connecting them with urban agriculture and food-systems organizations.

Mission: Founded in 2000 with support from the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants (ORI), the MAA Coalition is a partnership of grassroots ethnic organizations working to promote adjustment, acculturation, and integration, and to strengthen the collective voice of immigrants and refugees in Massachusetts. The MAA Coalition serves as access point to over 246,000 refugees and immigrants from 20 different nationalities statewide.
Sponsoring Organization: A Project of The Mutual Assistant Association (MAA) Coalition of Massachusetts
Immigrant Communities Served: GRO received a three-year grant from an anonymous donor to target Haitian, Vietnamese, Congolese, Somali, Sudanese, Liberian and Sierra Leonean populations, and other refugees who are new to this country.
Languages Spoken:
Agricultural Crops & Products:
Areas of Expertise: The Project will provide training and support so families can produce vegetables at community gardens or home dwellings in Boston. Activities linking agriculture and family cohesion, youth leadership, and economic and skills development will enable refugee populations to socially integrate into their neighborhoods and maintain their cultural identity. Partners such as The Food Project and Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN) will assist in training and developing new gardens.
Useful Resources and Materials: