Today, the InterLinc Family Foundation received the 2019 Impact Report for The Seedling Farm at the MLK Freedom Garden from Restorative Farms.  The Seedling Farm is located at the MLK Jr. Community Center in South Dallas Fair Park, and it is quickly becoming the hub for community gardens in South Dallas (Texas).  According to the report, 2019 was their most successful and impactful year!

The report shows that 24,000 seedling were produced and distributed into the local community in Dallas.  12,000 of the seedling were gifted to community gardens, with the others either being sold to local farms (at below market value) or grown into productive plants to supply local food programs.  Overall, twelve local community gardens and/or farms were supported with young plants from the farm.  Additional impacts included:

o    16 Community Grow Workshops
o    104 professional training sessions
o    208 Hours of community open hours (237 community member drop-ins for plants and advice)
o    Two part-time employees (paid vocational job placements) through our Future Urban Farmers program
o    Two college interns who, after the experience as grad students, either started working at or volunteering at gardens at their university
o    Supported four independent research projects for UTD and SMU
o    Nine class “education” visits to the seedling farm
o    65,000 visitors to the “Future of Farming” exhibit at the 2019 State Fair of Texas

In their report, Restorative Farms stated, "It is with profound gratitude that we submit this impact report - the support from InterLinc came at a critical early stage of this project and we, and the community we serve, will always be grateful and honored by your support in 2019."  In response, we would like to say that it is us that is grateful to be able to be part of such an amazing program that serves the Dallas community in which many of our team members live and work.  At InterLinc, we believe in strengthening and helping to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work, and because of programs like this, we are able to contribute to making an impact. 

The foundation would like to recognize the dedication and hard work of our team member, Mike Griffin.  Mike has been instrumental in this program, through volunteering his time and efforts.  Mike said, "For me personally, it was a honor to have a charity that is so important to me and the well- being of so many hungry people in the south Dallas area (be supported)...Not only do we feed people, the farmers that we train are amazing people that were wrongly convicted of crimes...and are learning the trade of farming to support themselves and their families where many companies will not give them an opportunity...With the stay at home orders, I have been participating in a cool planter box and seedling event where over 200 boxes have been sold in my neighborhood to teach the children at home to learn to plant and watch things grow and produce. It has been an amazing journey!"

To learn more about the The Seedling Farm at the MLK Freedom Garden, visit their Facebook page by clicking HERE.