| Name | Peter |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Kanyi |
| Home Address | 1204 Berkley Street Chattanooga, TN 37404 United States |
| Organization Name | Neema Community Garden |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | Father Peter is an Ordained Episcopal Minister who oversees all operations of Neema Community Garden and works directly with each individual involved with the garden. The grant writer is Austin Datz who is an expert gardener and has been a volunteer at Neema for three years and close friend to Father Peter. |
| Organization Address | 2401 E Main St Chattanooga, TN 37404 United States |
| Website | |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 4239036707 |
| Alternate Phone Number | 4236533066 |
| Email Address | peterkanyi77@gmail.com |
| Alternate Email Address | austinrdatz@gmail.com |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | Neema Community Garden has been operating for eight years under the direction of Father Peter. Neema is providing the community with education, skills training, and community engagement through its access to its gardens which provide hundreds of pounds of organic produce each year. Neema began operations on the West Side with its first community garden beds and greenhouse still in operation under new supervision. Neema has been operating in its current space for going on four years, located on East Main Street. Thanks to one generous private individual, Neema currently rents the space and has made significant improvements to a once barren parking lot. Neema hosts a number of community members who have space in the garden. Approximately one third of the garden beds are allocated to individuals from the surrounding community, another third is provided to refugees from Bridge Refugee Services, and the remaining third is under Neema management to the benefit of all. This funding could be transformative to Neema which could provide permanent residence through purchase of a vacant lot within the city and build a small permanent structure which would enhance its capabilities in hosting educational programs. |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | Neema provides a number of benefits to the Chattanooga community such as: improving healthy food access to a food desert, providing services to communities impacted the hardest by the virus, and alleviating systemic challenges faced by the community. One way Neema improves healthy food access is by providing a source of organically grown local food, from salad greens to ripe tomatoes. By working in an underserved area, Neema is a source of healthy food alternatives thereby addressing food access in a food desert. Additionally, access to healthy food alternatives is critical to addressing the obesity epidemic which directly impacts our medical system. Local hospitals are now prescribing fresh foods in their regiment to aid in treatment. Households have been affected by this pandemic in a many ways. One way we can remedy this is by addressing food insecurity by providing healthy food alternatives at no charge. Another way Neema can provide systemic change can be through community violence interruption. Neema is an opportunity for community involvement for any age. Neema provides skills training and education which can accommodate any age or level of ability. By being so engaged with its community, Neema can have a transformative effect for any interested to be involved. |
| Where would your project take place? | Highland Park |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 95000 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | Yes |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | Private entities and local non profits currently contribute to the organization which have helped Neema function throughout its life. |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | Total contributions outside of this government funding amounts to approximately $30,000 per year. Seeking a one time contribution of $95,000 would be transformative to the project that would allow private funding to sustain the garden afterwards. |
| If funded, when would your project start? | June 1, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | 9 to 12 months |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | The American Rescue Plan would be fundamental to the permanent establishment of a community garden and community center. Major milestones would be measured by the purchasing of land, establishment of garden beds for operation, and a modest community center for education and cross-pollination of the community. The purchase of land should be attainable within a couple months, while the construction of a modest community center would take up to six months until fully complete. |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | The top priority is to support and enable the community in which Neema works. Speaking with local neighbors and residents would be our first step in accountability and full transparency. Neema is also accountable Bridge Refugee Services, which provides refugees education, integration, and skills training. Operating classes has been a challenge throughout the pandemic, and having a safe and reliable location would be incredible for Neema. Father Peter is an Ordained Episcopal Minister and would be accountable to a number of churches in the area as well as the entire Episcopal organization and the principles and ethics it adheres to. Father Peter works closely with St. Timothy’s of Signal Mountain, St. Paul’s Episcopal, as well as Grace Church in Brainerd. Additionally, we would welcome engagement with the Mayor and City Council to serve as an example and template for other such interested organizations. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | Neema is already operating to the benefit of the community through providing access to healthy food, education and a support system among the many individuals engaging with us. The further success we hope to achieve is the permanent establishment of a garden and community center which would ensure a continued operation and enhancement of the city for years to come. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | Since Neema is already operating, we have found buy-in from the community by being a landmark for the neighborhood and operating year in and year out. We have slowly expanded the garden each year and have seen a growth in the number of individuals across the years as well. By working with Bridge Refugee Services we have seen individual buy-in because of the benefits we can provide to them and how we have brought peoples from all walks of life together and connect in ways they might not have before. Incredibly, we have personal stories from individuals who have engaged with Neema simply by being visible and welcoming to our neighbors around the garden. As well, word of mouth has brought buy-in from friends who have worked with Neema and are now engaging with us. Every year we hope to grow a little bigger, and impact a growing number of people who we haven’t interacted with before. We welcome any discussion and engagement from the community and always hope to increase community buy-in any way we can such as classes and gatherings. |
| Name | Austin Datz |
| Contact Information | 4236533066 |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | I would love to see Neema solidify itself as a pillar to its community by acquiring a permanent location. Neema has already done such incredible work within the city and I look forward to continuing the work for years to come. |