Tag Archives: fundraising

Off to a Great Start for Our 40th Year

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This year is the 40th anniversary of the Community Garden Coalition, and we are off to a great start due to some very successful year-end fundraising!

We exceeded our goal of $6,000 through CoMoGives and received corporate gifts from two local Walmarts totalling $2,750 along with a $500 gift from UScellular. But the most surprising donation happened in early December when we were contacted by Jim Robertson, the chair of the Reality House Programs board of directors. 

Reality House operated as a local, non-profit for 50 years offering a community-based alternative to incarceration. Unfortunately it lost the state funding it relied on two years ago and had to shut down. As a last gift to the Columbia community the board of directors decided the best way to disburse their remaining funds was to donate to three local, non-profits that they felt had supported their clientele over the years. The Community Garden Coalition was one of the lucky recipients, and we were given a $10,000 donation!!

Needless to say, we can help a lot of people with such a generous gift! While we are grateful for everyone’s support, we want to especially thank the Reality House Programs board of directors:

  • Jim Robertson
  • Rusty Antell
  • Frank Aten
  • Carroll Highbarger
  • Bob Perry
  • Jim Ritter
  • Matt Woods

Last Chance to Give Through CoMoGives

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We have reached the final few days of the CoMoGives local giving campaign, a truly inspired homegrown effort to support all kinds of nonprofit groups in Mid-Missouri. If you have the means to donate this year, we hope you’ll hop over to the CoMoGives site and give a gift to the Community Garden Coalition or another charity that’s close to your heart.

We’re thrilled with the support we’ve seen so far for community gardening as we get ready for our fortieth year! (That’s right, the CGC has been around since 1983!) We’re 2/3 of the way to our goal of raising $6,000 through CoMoGives this year.

As a supporter, you know we’re an all-volunteer group, run by a very small board and a hard-working set of garden leaders. In 2022, we supported over a dozen gardens used by hundreds of gardeners. When we asked our gardeners to tell us what community gardening means to them this year, we heard some inspiring words indeed!

graphic tile with botanical ornaments, the CGC logo and "What Does Your Community Garden Mean to You? It means a lot because I can grow my own food. I saved a lot on vegetables growing my own."
graphic tile with botanical ornaments, the CGC logo and "What Does Your Community Garden Mean to You? Time in the sun and hands in the dirt keep me grounded and sane during the summer."
graphic tile with botanical ornaments, the CGC logo and "What Does Your Community Garden Mean to You? A space to dream and go be outdoors for a bit."
graphic tile with botanical ornaments, the CGC logo and "What Does Your Community Garden Mean to You? I am really thankful for it, and it got me to garden for the first time. I learned a lot, and want to continue doing it. It is great."
graphic tile with botanical ornaments, the CGC logo and "What Does Your Community Garden Mean to You? I feel part of a great community of gardeners. I learn from them, share with them, enjoy their company."
graphic tile with botanical ornaments, the CGC logo and "What Does Your Community Garden Mean to You? We stock our pantry with the bounty of the garden."

The Garden Coalition depends on the continued generosity of supporters like you to continue serving these gardens. If you have already given, thank you! If you have not given and have the means, please consider a gift through CoMoGives by midnight this Saturday, December 31.

Donate to CoMoGives!

Thank you so much for your support and interest in our mission! Here’s to a happy New Year 2023 and more great gardens as the CGC turns 40!

A Great Start to CoMoGives! Thank You!

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Wow! We are so grateful for all the support received on Giving Tuesday through CoMoGives!!! With over $1,800 received in the first day of our campaign, we’re so happy to have the support of our community as we get ready to celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2023!

Thank you so much to those who’ve given! We will put your gifts to good use supporting Columbia’s community gardeners.

If you haven’t given, yet, don’t worry — CoMoGives continues through December 31! Just visit our page at CoMoGives.com.

Thank You #GivingTuesday Donors!

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Wow! We are so grateful for all the support received today through CoMoGives!!! With over $2800 received in the first day or our campaign, we’re already more than halfway to our goal!!

Thank you so much to those who gave today! We will put your gifts to good use in our community!

You can still support the garden coalition anytime through December 31! Just visit our page at CoMoGives.com.

photo of a community garden with text saying Thank You #GivingTuesday Donors

Do Your Part to Help Community Gardening Thrive

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  • Friendship Garden
  • Friendship Garden
  • Ash Street Garden
  • Interfaith Garden
  • Unite4Health Garden


One of the best parts of being on the board of the Community Garden Coalition is the opportunity to visit all of our gardens. Although it’s been less frequent this year due to the virus, I’ve still been invited to socially-distanced garden parties, harvesting events, and just to talk with gardeners and see how things are going.

When I’m struggling to fill out all the forms for our city grant (which only provides about half of our funding), I find it’s wise to take a break and look at some of the garden pictures we’ve taken during the year. It reminds me how important this organization is to so many people, and why I want to continue doing my part to help!

You can do your part to help others December 1-31, with a donation to the Community Garden Coalition through CoMoGives.

New this year, we are pledging half of what we raise through CoMoGives to Friendship Community Garden!

This newer garden located on Smiley Lane at the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, has been growing in membership despite a lack of good soil, a storage shed and a water spigot. We are hoping that you will help us to help them!

  • Friendship Garden
  • Friendship Garden
  • Friendship Garden

Friendship Garden leaders and members have done a lot of creative problem solving in their few years of existence. From coming up with a water hauling and storage system last year to pivoting during the pandemic to offer a garden education program to kids displaced from their regular summer camp. Their efforts are inspiring and the CGC wants to help them continue to improve their garden.

CoMoGives logo

Even a small donation can go a long way in our budget! Your dollars stay local, and they’ll go directly back into supporting community gardens used by your neighbors and friends with hoses, wheelbarrows, lawnmowers, seeds, compost and more.

You and your friends can also stay in touch with CGC and check on our progress by following us on Facebook. Thank you for your support and consideration, and happy holiday season from myself and the rest of the CGC Board of Directors!

Kathy Doisy, President

CGC Board Members
Jenny McDonald, Vice President
Bill McKelvey, Treasurer
Ann Marie Gortmaker
Kristin Hatton
Cheryl Jensen
Sarah Kendrick



Cultivating Gardens & Community — With Your Help

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  • girls planting in a raised bed
  • Columbia College students showing garden produce just picked for donation
  • two gardeners at Ash St. showing off a large melon
  • young boy holding straw to mulch raised bed
  • Mom & son with asian gourd


In 2019, the Community Garden Coalition was pleased to support over 1,000 gardeners through another season of growing food and cultivating community. Our member gardeners include people stretching their food budgets, students learning about growing plants for the first time, people growing produce to donate to others and gardeners keeping alive food traditions from distant cultures.

To help community gardens thrive in Columbia, our all-volunteer group offers seeds, plants, water, insurance, tools and supplies. We believe that small gardens can have large benefits. They provide healthy food, stronger communities, greener neighborhoods and a sense of pride and shared accomplishment.

For the third year in a row, we’re joining the CoMoGives local giving campaign. Our goal is to raise $5,000 during the month of December – and we need your help!

We hope you will show your support for community gardening with a donation to the CGC through CoMoGives between December 1 and 31!
CoMoGives.com


Even a small donation can go a long way in our budget! Your dollars stay local, and they’ll go directly back into supporting community gardens used by your neighbors and friends with hoses, wheelbarrows, lawnmowers, seeds, compost and more.

We would also like to spread our message further this year. Can you help us spread the word about community gardening and our mission, by sharing this message with someone else you know?

You and your friends can also stay in touch with CGC and check on our progress by following us on Facebook. Thank you for your support and consideration, and happy holiday season from your CGC Board of Directors!

Kathy Doisy, President
Jenny McDonald, Vice President
Bill McKelvey, Treasurer
Lauren Godsy, Secretary
Ann Marie Gortmaker
Kristin Hatton
Sarah Kendrick
Zach Pietryla