<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Hi Marsha,<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">The questions on the survey were developed with the primary goal of identifying gardeners in need of assistance with this issue.</div><div class="">Our strategy is to follow up with any respondents to learn more of their specific situations with regard to insurance policies and specific water access challenges.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I think it’s a good idea to add your question “What type of land is your garden on?”</div><div class="">I feel the additional questions you indicated below about insurance and ‘what type of water access’ are important to ask gardeners directly, but not on the survey.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">With regard to proper water use/risk of citation… this is something we can address separately via an article/web/social media.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Thanks for sharing your thoughts!</div><div class="">Amy<br class=""><div><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Sep 16, 2020, at 12:42 PM, Marsha Wyatt <<a href="mailto:mkwyatt1@gmail.com" class="">mkwyatt1@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class="">Great newsletter overall-- I had to take a peek at the whole thing for just a few minutes.<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Here are questions that need ADDED to the survey</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">ADD:</div><div class=""><b class="">What type of land is your garden on?</b></div><div class="">Church Property</div><div class="">CHA land</div><div class="">NeighborSpace sponsored garden ( on NS-owned land) </div><div class="">Vacant Lot with permission of owner or Aldeman</div><div class="">Other_____________________</div><div class=""><b class=""><br class=""></b></div><div class=""><b class="">Sub Question if they answer YES ro having Liability Insurance:</b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">What type/amount of Liability Insurance do you carry?</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><b class="">Under Do you have access to water for your garden:</b></div><div class="">What type of access do you have</div><div class="">Private Residence /Business exterior spigot</div><div class="">Public Building (church or school) exterior spigot</div><div class="">Is your Hydrant Access </div><div class="">__________legal (permitted with RPZ)</div><div class="">__________currently "illegal" tapping hydrant after hours</div><div class="">__________in process of permitting with RPZ</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I think it's important to understand the different situations that people are working under. </div><div class="">And I also think it's important to educate everyone that IF they are hooking up to a residence or business they need tomake sure that water is turned OFF after each use or they could still be cited as "constant hook ups of any kind" are not allowed and massive irrigation systems that have their own water meter also have to have an industrial level RPZ ( St Ignatius Recreation Fields on Blue Island) </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Hope this helps !!!!!</div><div class="">Marsha</div><div class="">630-210-1589</div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" class=""><div class="gmail_quote" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Sep 16, 2020 at 12:50 AM Amy Olson <<a href="mailto:akeo@me.com" class="">akeo@me.com</a>> wrote:<br class=""></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left-width: 1px; border-left-style: solid; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div dir="auto" class="">Hi Marsha,<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Below please find the draft of our newsletter I shared at the meeting. In it you can find a link to the water survey and also the article about your garden! I was holding off sending the Maxwell St Garden piece and post to you because we need to insert the gallery of photos in the web post. But the written content is all there. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Please let me know your feedback and thoughts.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Thanks!</div><div class="">Amy<br class=""><br class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">.…….…</div><div class="">amy olson</div><div class="">sent via iphone</div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div><div dir="ltr" class=""><br class="">Begin forwarded message:<br class=""><br class=""></div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><b class="">From:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>CCGA via Communications <<a href="mailto:communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org" target="_blank" class="">communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org</a>><br class=""><b class="">Date:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>September 15, 2020 at 13:08:23 CDT<br class=""><b class="">To:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:Communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org" target="_blank" class="">Communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org</a><br class=""><b class="">Cc:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>CCGA <<a href="mailto:info@chicagocommunitygardens.org" target="_blank" class="">info@chicagocommunitygardens.org</a>><br class=""><b class="">Subject:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b class="">[Communications] [Test] Water Access for All Gardens • Community Garden Profiles • Covid-19 Safety</b><br class=""><b class="">Reply-To:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:us14-74d8a1481b-742954e60b@inbound.mailchimp.com" target="_blank" class="">us14-74d8a1481b-742954e60b@inbound.mailchimp.com</a><br class=""><br class=""></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><span rel="test-send-sentinel" class=""></span><table id="gmail-m_-7801811868746514161sendTestMessage" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; 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background-size: cover; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 9px; padding-bottom: 0px; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;" class=""><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="left" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" class=""><img alt="" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0/images/cc704bf4-90e1-4515-ac03-6e314d3e76ba.jpg" width="564" align="middle" style="max-width: 2400px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none; display: inline;" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class=""><td valign="top" id="gmail-m_-7801811868746514161templateBody" style="background-image: none; background-size: cover; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(32, 32, 32);" class=""><div style="text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0);" class=""><span style="font-size: 22px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><strong class="">News for Community Gardeners</strong></span></span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(32, 32, 32);" class=""><div style="text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0);" class=""><em class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class="">"What we do echoes through the generations."</span></span></em></span><br class=""><span style="font-size: 12px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class="">- Barack Obama, 2020</span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class=""><td valign="top" id="gmail-m_-7801811868746514161templateFooter" style="background-image: none; background-size: cover; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250); border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 9px; padding-bottom: 9px; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" class=""><img align="center" alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0/_compresseds/bcdfc37c-8a45-4123-a96f-00600af9600f.jpg" width="564" style="max-width: 2560px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none; display: inline;" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12px;" class=""><em class="">Pictured here are young adults working with West Side gardens through the Garfield Park Community Council last summer.</em></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(23, 112, 19); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 26px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 39px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class="">Celebrating and Supporting One Another</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><font face="noticia text, georgia, times new roman, serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class="">As spring turned to summer, our support for Black lives and for the community gardening community grew and continues to grow with each day. As surely as we tend our gardens, we tend to our neighborhoods and each other, and we reaffirm that growing is an important part of creating resilient and healthy communities in Chicago.</span></font><br class=""><br class=""><font face="noticia text, georgia, times new roman, serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class="">In this issue, we have garden stories, news and updates, distribution notes, and awards to tell you about. But first, we want to share a moment we had in dialogue with founding CCGA member Angela Taylor, a committed community activist and garden leader in Garfield Park, to share some thoughts on the importance of staying focused and dedicated to our work in our communities as an antidote to the sadness and unrest that has swept through our city. </span></font><br class=""><br class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0); font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;" class=""><strong class="">How does community gardening support Black lives? How do community gardens contribute to dismantling racism in our city?</strong></span><br class=""><em style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;" class="">Here at the Fulton Street Flower and Vegetable Garden, we see the color green. To be afforded the opportunity to work with young people, and watch them learn about gardening and the role farming played in our culture, and then realize the importance of growing not just food, but growing a sense of community as well is amazing to witness. All of this seems to bring about a better appreciation for life.</em><br class=""><font face="noticia text, georgia, times new roman, serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class=""> </span></font><br class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0); font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;" class=""><strong class="">From your work with young people, what can you suggest that will bring us to a more creative and conscious dialogue about Black and Brown lives?</strong></span><br class=""><em style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;" class="">If we could sometimes stop talking and just listen, we could learn a lot about what the needs of others are, and become open to learning new ways of getting things done.</em><br class=""><br class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0); font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;" class=""><strong class="">What are some practices for creating more loving, resilient relationships among each other in our communities as we work for and support racial justice?</strong></span><br class=""><em style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;" class="">This is a tough one, but here you go... In everything we do, we should first consider how we would want to be treated, cared for, and responded to. </em><br class=""><br class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0); font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;" class=""><strong class="">In what way do you see gardens as a place for healing and empowerment?</strong></span><br class=""><em style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;" class="">Community gardens are considered a healing space. Early in the morning, before the community wakes up, taking a walk in this quiet space sets the tone for the day: Being one with the earth, becoming inspired in our day, and to clear our mind to be able focus on what is in front of us. </em></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; line-height: 24px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0);" class=""><em class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class="">"Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”</span></span></em></span><br class=""> <span style="font-size: 12px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><em class=""> </em>- John Lewis </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(242, 242, 242); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><font color="#006400" face="noticia text, georgia, times new roman, serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class="">Has your garden been affected by the 2020 Chicago Water Hydrant Policy? We want to hear from you - there is help!</span></font></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" class=""><img align="center" alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0/images/51b79adf-2704-4e9a-a746-ef71415e1418.jpg" width="564" style="max-width: 800px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none; display: inline;" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><em class=""><span style="font-size: 12px;" class="">Illustration by Sunshine Cahill or @sunshine.saqimax (via IG).</span></em></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class="">During the last few months CCGA has heard from community gardeners that the new rules the Department of Water Management has now set for water access at fire hydrants is crippling for them. Acquiring, installing, and certifying a Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) unit for any community garden can be cost prohibitive.<br class=""><br class="">CCGA contacted Sean Ruane, the executive director of AUA, and we heard back that within 24-hours AUA was ready to circulate a sign-on letter to garner more public support for this issue. The communications team was asked if CCGA would like to be listed as a signatory at the bottom of the letter. Without time enough to solicit wider response from all of our subscribers, the chairs and working groups were asked to comment, and we were able to change the wording of the letter to be more inclusive of community gardeners.<br class=""><br class=""><strong class="">There is much more to this issue, and we want to hear from more of our community gardeners.</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We've developed a simple survey and would greatly appreciate your participation! The goal of the survey is to gain a clearer picture of how community gardeners in Chicago access water and to determine where support is needed. </span></span><br class=""> </div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" align="center" style="padding: 0px 18px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; background-color: rgb(37, 159, 33); border-collapse: separate;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; padding: 16px;" class=""><a title="Take the CCGA Water Access Survey" href="https://forms.gle/uroWr5SGR3Hjjwm4A" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block;" class="">Take the CCGA Water Access Survey</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class="">The need for advocacy for community gardens with the City of Chicago is evident, and CCGA seeks to develop a position and proposal to present to the City for what our community gardeners need as a long-term solution. The increase from previous years in the new policy is not as much a hardship as the cost of the RPZ and the cost of the inspections. We look forward to working collaboratively to find a solution.<br class=""> <br class="">For those who need assistance<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><u class="">now</u>, AUA has compiled resources and funding to help farmers/gardeners navigate the updated policy on their website, and we encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:communication@chicagocommunitygardens.org" target="_blank" class="">communication@chicagocommunitygardens.org</a>.</span></span><br class=""> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" align="center" style="padding: 0px 18px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; background-color: rgb(37, 159, 33); border-collapse: separate;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; padding: 16px;" class=""><a title="AUA Water Access Resources & Growers Guide" href="https://auachicago.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AUA-Updated-Chicago-Growers-Guide-.pdf" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block;" class="">AUA Water Access Resources & Growers Guide</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(242, 242, 242); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><font color="#006400" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class="">Show off your garden: <br class="">Enter the CEGA 60-second video challenge!</span></font></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" class=""><img align="center" alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0/images/d3bacf34-c37e-42d0-8a01-5cfabddde38d.png" width="564" style="max-width: 1200px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none; display: inline;" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><p style="font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class="">The Chicago Excellence in Gardening Awards (CEGA) will be honoring gardens for a fourth year—though with a twist, thanks to COVID-19. The timing of the pandemic has made it impossible to ramp up the gardening competition in time to take advantage of the summer growing season. Instead, CEGA is presenting its first-ever<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong class="">60-Second Garden Video Challenge</strong>.<br class=""><br class="">Here’s how it works. Gardeners create one-minute videos of their gardens and upload them to the CEGA website. The CEGA Team reviews them for social standards considerations, and posts the videos on the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs7W3pRPsioXIK3S-1XOyvw/videos" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" class="">CEGA YouTube Channel</a>. Viewers then use the “thumbs up” to vote for their favorite videos.<br class="">The competition is FREE and open to anyone who has a garden or who belongs to a garden, whether it’s a community garden, church or school garden, or even a business garden. Videos can be straightforward, clever, artistic, funny—whatever the gardener chooses. And, for this special contest, e<em class="">ntrants need not be from Chicago.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em>We’re looking for 60 second videos of gardens from anywhere in the world.<br class=""><br class="">Videos that receive the most votes will be posted on the CEGA website and on its social media pages. Those gardeners will receive a certificate, but more prizes are in the works. Stay tuned. Videos will be accepted now through<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong class="">September 30</strong>, with winners being announced monthly.</span></span><br class=""> </p></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" align="center" style="padding: 0px 18px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; background-color: rgb(37, 159, 33); border-collapse: separate;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; padding: 16px;" class=""><a title="Find out more and enter your garden video!" href="https://chicagogardeningawards.org/" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block;" class="">Find out more and enter your garden video!</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(242, 242, 242); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><font color="#006400" face="noticia text, georgia, times new roman, serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class="">Resources for Covid-19 Safety in Community Gardens</span></font></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><font color="#ff0000" face="noticia text, georgia, times new roman, serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class="">Content to come: Guidelines and signage</span></font></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" align="center" style="padding: 0px 18px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; background-color: rgb(37, 159, 33); border-collapse: separate;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; padding: 16px;" class=""><a title="Covid-19 Resources for Gardeners" style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block;" class="">Covid-19 Resources for Gardeners</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(88, 98, 87); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; word-break: break-word; line-height: 21px;" class=""><u class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class="">STORIES FROM CHICAGO'S COMMUNITY GARDENS</span></span></u></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(242, 242, 242); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0);" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class="">El Paseo Community Garden is granted a Creative Placemaking Award</span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" class=""><img align="center" alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0/images/a5c8540e-1cf5-49e8-a51c-2aa34908201b.jpg" width="564" style="max-width: 800px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none; display: inline;" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class="">El Paseo Community Garden enhances the quality of life for Pilsen residents through community building, stewardship, conservation, placemaking, partnerships, programming, and community gardening. The converted brownfield site provides opportunities to socialize with each other, plant and grow food, play, or simply be outside and enjoy the wildlife and fresh air the native plants provide. The garden and adjacent land it stewards provides over 34,000 square feet of public green space for the neighborhood and as a backyard for neighbors in the adjacent senior living and affordable housing apartments. The garden sits along a path with a monarch butterfly prairie on one side and raised beds on the other. Gardening is offered through private allotment beds or collective beds. Collective beds eliminate waiting lists for allotment beds and allow anyone to get involved. Free food beds are included on the perimeter of the collective beds for visitors.<br class=""><br class="">The leadership team at El Paseo Community Garden was able to apply for the MacArthur Foundation Creative Placemaking Award and by the end of 2019, they were notified they were finalists. On May 6<sup class="">th</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>they were recognized via a virtual ceremony and awarded $15,000 along with it. The Acevedos credit their founders Sallie and Ron Gordon and their land trust, Neighborspace, for trusting them to carry on their vision. Gratitude is also expressed to all the organizations who have provided support through sponsorship, partnerships, and various donations. The success of our garden is possible by the countless volunteers that help maintain the space and provide programming. Congratulations, El Paseo!</span></span><br class=""> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" align="center" style="padding: 0px 18px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; background-color: rgb(37, 159, 33); border-collapse: separate;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; padding: 16px;" class=""><a title="Continue reading about El Paseo Community Garden" href="http://chicagocommunitygardens.org/2020/09/04/el-paseo-community-garden-is-awarded-a-creative-placemaking-award/" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block;" class="">Continue reading about El Paseo Community Garden</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="background-color: rgb(175, 217, 156); border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(34, 65, 10); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; word-break: break-word; line-height: 21px;" class=""><p style="color: rgb(34, 65, 10); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 21px;" class="">Add Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards:</p><p style="color: rgb(34, 65, 10); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 21px;" class=""><a href="https://app.lisc-cnda.org/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" class="">https://app.lisc-cnda.org/</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(242, 242, 242); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0);" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class="">North Lawndale 'Slumbusters' Garden Workdays are a Success</span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" class=""><img align="center" alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0/images/8b461e23-c7ee-4eac-8fc7-904194db99d6.jpg" width="564" style="max-width: 800px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none; display: inline;" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><em class="">Since the 1980’s a diverse patchwork of green spaces has appeared on North Lawndale’s map. These pocket gardens are sites of community activism, neighborhood beautification and youth education. In 1986, Gerald and Lorean Earles founded “Slum Busters” to transform vacant lots into flower and vegetable gardens. Their efforts have inspired the creation of more than 40 gardens and the North Lawndale Greening Committee.</em> -”Learning from North Lawndale”, Chicago Architecture Tour, 2006</div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class="">Volunteers with the North Lawndale Greening Committee, inspired by the work of Lorean and Gerald Earles, started a garden restoration of the Slum Busters Garden on Saturday, June 20th. According to volunteer, Kimberly George, “The garden was literally buried in overgrown weeds. I started to reconsider this project, but then I remembered a story about Lorean Earles, discouraged in the evening, would still be out the next morning pulling a few weeds.” <br class=""><br class="">In the middle of a pandemic, social unrest and a financial depression, restoring a garden may not be the best idea. But, the reality is, this is the perfect time. Fresh produce and beautiful flowers are needed more than ever. The outpouring of individuals from all over the city wanting to contribute time is inspiring. Garden leaders like Dr. Shemuel Israel and Mamie Gray are following the example of Gerald and Lorean Earles, who once said “No one wants to do anything, so why don’t we?” </p>Dr. Israel, Mamie Gray and Kimberly George will be out with volunteers this summer to restore and clean up gardens in North Lawndale. Hundreds more individuals will be volunteering throughout the city. To offer support please complete a volunteer sign up using the button below and join the Chicago Community Garden Association for follow updates from Slum Busters to be be shared throughout the growing season.<br class=""> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" align="center" style="padding: 0px 18px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; background-color: rgb(37, 159, 33); border-collapse: separate;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; padding: 16px;" class=""><a title="Volunteer for North Lawndale workdays" href="https://forms.gle/DpQbx61Dow9Ad2S17" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block;" class="">Volunteer for North Lawndale workdays</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(242, 242, 242); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0);" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class="">New planters at the Bezazian Library made possible with plants from CCGA</span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" class=""><img align="center" alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0/images/016ea437-3b0e-4b1a-a7a6-c9fe57df8e73.jpg" width="564" style="max-width: 800px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none; display: inline;" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class="">The North Uptown Neighborhood Association shared photos of the planters at the Bezazian Library which were updated with plants from recent Resources Team plant distributions. They said the city used to plant the boxes, but since the city's budget crisis, this stopped and they picked up the need for plants. They raised some funds through successful book sales, but with the difficulties this difficult year, they were not sure they could do it. They were so happy for the CCGA plant distributions, which made it possible for them to fill the boxes with many pollinator-friendly plants!</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(242, 242, 242); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0);" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class="">The Hart Peace Community Garden embarking on renovations to increase accessibilty</span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" class=""><img align="center" alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0/images/41fdae3a-e67e-49cb-853a-e547bd6ca70b.jpg" width="564" style="max-width: 800px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none; display: inline;" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><p style="font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class="">You might recognize Pat and Robert Hart as two of the most dedicated volunteers of CCGA. These days, they've been focused on a new project at their community garden in Austin.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong class="">The Hart Peace Community Garden<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>at 645 N. Latrobe Ave was started on three abandoned lots they bought from the city. The garden will soon incorporate several ADA-accessible planter stations, paved walkways and a sun shelter to make it easier for seniors and people with disabilities to grow produce and flowers. They are collaborating with Human Scale, a design nonprofit founded by University of Illinois at Chicago students. “I want to make it accessible to as many people as I can. And make it so more vets can come garden,” said Robert Hart, a veteran himself.</p><p style="font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class="">Pat and Robert envision using the pergola as a space to teach and give cooking demonstrations and let folks share recipes. As a nurse, Pat recognizes the food value in a lot of vegetables that aren't favored so much by her community. She wants to introduce veggies like eggplant and how to cook with it. Pat shared, “The garden is still in the process of development. It's an all-volunteer effort and there have been people working on weekends; they've been moving, digging and learning how to use Robert's tools. The garden is for seniors, vets, and folks in the neighborhood; there's a school around the corner, so the garden will be there for them too."</p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" align="center" style="padding: 0px 18px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; background-color: rgb(37, 159, 33); border-collapse: separate;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; padding: 16px;" class=""><a title="Read more about the Hart Peace Community Garden" href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/08/06/west-side-community-garden-getting-renovations-so-seniors-people-with-disabilities-can-use-it/" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block;" class="">Read more about the Hart Peace Community Garden</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(242, 242, 242); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0);" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class="">Maxwell Street Community Garden's public art and accessible raised beds win praise</span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" class=""><img align="center" alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0/images/f7865804-8b2f-452b-9fde-9496b2ecffbf.jpg" width="564" style="max-width: 800px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none; display: inline;" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class="">Maxwell Street Community Garden is in its second season at their new location on the NE corner of Racine and 13th Street diagonal to Fosco Park. They are at maximum capacity this year with a growing waitlist for next season after expanding the number of plots "farmed for the community" from two to six this season to provide more green tomatoes and fresh produce to their neighbors in the adjacent properties, in addition to an herb garden shared with members, neighbors, and Friends of the Garden.<br class=""> <br class="">In early March, the garden received a $5,000 grant from Chicago Housing Consulting Services (CHCS) towards transforming three concrete barriers in the garden into public art. Pilsen artist Anne Farley Gaines designed three mosaic murals, and progress is well underway on the first one in the Welcome Garden by the 13th Street gate. Students living nearby, having participated in other art programs led by Gaines for After School Matters and Jane Addams Center, are creating mosaics both at the garden and in kits at home on pre-cut masonry. Maxwell Street Community Garden is the first public art project funded by CHCS.<br class=""> <br class="">This was more than reason enough for Maxwell Street Community Garden to receive high praise from Lisa Roberson, Executive Administrator at Chicago Housing Authority, who came to tour their garden in June while she was in the neighborhood. She was awestruck and giddy with delight with what Maxwell Garden had created in the middle of the city. They have built ADA accessible tall raised beds that are a shining example for what all CHA Gardens should aspire to become.<br class=""> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" align="center" style="padding: 0px 18px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; background-color: rgb(37, 159, 33); border-collapse: separate;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; padding: 16px;" class=""><a title="Read more about Maxwell Street Garden's murals & raised beds" href="http://chicagocommunitygardens.org/2020/08/27/maxwell-street-community-garden/" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block;" class="">Read more about Maxwell Street Garden's murals & raised beds</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="background-color: rgb(175, 217, 156); border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(34, 65, 10); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; word-break: break-word; line-height: 21px;" class=""><em class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class="">If you have a garden story to share,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org?subject=Recipe!" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" class="">send us a message</a>!</span></span></em></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(242, 242, 242); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><font color="#006400" face="noticia text, georgia, times new roman, serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class="">The CCGA Resources Committee has been busy</span></font><font color="#006400" face="noticia text, georgia, times new roman, serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class=""> this summer!</span></font></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" class=""><img align="center" alt="" src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f2904daf2a26a891c68f8bb0/images/266bcd5c-f61c-498b-8058-d2d539b462e1.jpg" width="564" style="max-width: 960px; padding-bottom: 0px; vertical-align: bottom; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none; display: inline;" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 100, 0);" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><em class="">Pictured above are a variety of perennial plants distributed to gardeners last month. </em></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><div style="text-align: left;" class=""><p style="font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class="">COVID-19 has made us all wonder how we’d manage many new challenges during this pandemic, and for many community gardens, the CCGA Resources distributions and plant sales have been the sole source of affordable, viable seedlings and healthy plants this year. The Resources Committee organized - and managed to make seem effortless -<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong class="">seven</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>contactless distributions throughout April, May, June and July. When everything that we once knew had changed so dramatically, this brought a sense of well-being to gardeners with the possibility of bountiful bouquets and delicious harvests. <br class=""><br class="">The dedication of the CCGA Resources Committee and generosity of our partner growers continues to provide gardeners with opportunities for planting, nurturing and harvesting, and to see things growing and thriving in our gardens again amidst the challenges we are all facing. We know too well that well-being depends on a range of social, economic and environmental factors, as is emphasized by the health disparities seen in different areas of our city. CCGA supports access to green space, and recognizes that growing in that space is vital for health and well-being.<br class=""> </p></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" align="center" style="padding: 0px 18px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; background-color: rgb(37, 159, 33); border-collapse: separate;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; padding: 16px;" class=""><a title="Read More about the work of the CCGA Resources Committee" href="http://chicagocommunitygardens.org/2020/08/27/resources-update/" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: block;" class="">Read More about the work of the CCGA Resources Committee</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="padding: 9px 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 18px; color: rgb(242, 242, 242); font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;" class=""><font color="#006400" face="noticia text, georgia, times new roman, serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 26px;" class="">Upcoming Events</span></font></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><p style="font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="">Include more events</span><br class="">Garfield park Community Council Playstreets Virtual Events</span></span><br class=""><a href="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/3Gp-H8D_r24GhEpW3vq9pA" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" class="">https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/3Gp-H8D_r24GhEpW3vq9pA</a><br class=""><br class="">Garfield Park Conservatory Gardens - book a visit<br class=""><a href="https://garfieldconservatory.org/outdoormembervisits/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" class="">https://garfieldconservatory.org/outdoormembervisits/</a><br class=""><br class=""><span style="font-size: 16px;" class=""><span style="font-family: "noticia text", georgia, "times new roman", serif;" class="">Next CCGA virtual meeting</span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 9px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" style="padding-left: 9px; padding-right: 9px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px; padding-right: 9px; padding-left: 9px;" class=""><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="top" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="display: inline; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 9px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="left" valign="middle" style="padding: 5px 10px 5px 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="" style="border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" width="24" class=""><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoCommunityGardenersAssociation/" target="_blank" class=""><img src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-facebook-48.png" alt="Facebook" height="24" width="24" style="display: block; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" class=""></a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="display: inline; 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border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px;" class=""><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="left" valign="middle" style="padding: 5px 10px 5px 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="" style="border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td align="center" valign="middle" width="24" class=""><a href="mailto:info@chicagocommunitygardens.org" target="_blank" class=""><img src="https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-forwardtofriend-48.png" alt="Email" height="24" width="24" style="display: block; border: 0px; height: auto; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" class=""></a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 18px;" class=""><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; font-family: "Noticia Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101);" class=""><br class=""><span style="font-size: 12px;" class=""><em class="">Have ideas, suggestions or news you would like to share with fellow community gardeners in the next CCGA email? Please send those items to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org" shape="rect" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" class="">communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org.</a><br class=""><br class="">For questions about CCGA and how to get involved, email<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:membership@chicagocommunitygardens.org" shape="rect" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" class="">membership@chicagocommunitygardens.org</a>or visit<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a alt="http://chicagocommunitygardens.org/ccga-organization/" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00179W6ckE8nHc3_ea7VKAt_U7Qet-JCzLSSeOPh9N6gLUWNELIG_623Uq6CaEg83lQ1WW0jnA6WuALEV1KYm5MScGNmqRYtYgAgBDTodIy-SyCKM58AQz6GunGMbJ4-ek7UqfS8SQG6_xSbq9jDG3ygw1D1zHRazackxCKDCvakZu8s8cYVx8sGl2f1mgl-HYIDcDzXQnxkrapObZi2PTbGA==&c=Q_d2K6wsNreybPhq6TiCSg0zyf5NMPf7aMT2L5QmEGvWL4M9ouukwQ==&ch=86ZxnO5wcbz_NBbECE7jjonhPQ3EptToF6SB0B4xUiWBxWw2KdMzXQ==" shape="rect" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" class="">chicagocommunitygardens.org/ccga-organization</a><br class=""><br class=""> Need resources for your community garden? Have resources to offer? Email<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:resources@chicagocommunitygardens.org" shape="rect" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" class="">resources@chicagocommunitygardens.org</a>.</em></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="min-width: 100%; padding: 10px 18px 25px;" class=""><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-top-width: 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td class=""><span class=""></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 9px;" class=""><table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="left" style="max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td valign="top" style="padding: 0px 18px 9px; word-break: break-word; color: rgb(101, 101, 101); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;" class=""><em class="">Copyright © 2017 Chicago Community Gardeners Association, All rights reserved.</em><br class=""><br class=""><strong class="">Our mailing address is:</strong><br class="">445 N. 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