Terri Durham, Office Coordinator
Somewhere between the rows of tomatoes, squash, and peppers, you’ll find the newest addition to our Seeds of Hope family: Community Garden Coordinator Melissa Bacigalupa.
Melissa is an AmeriCorps VISTA member spending her time cultivating relationships with volunteers while cultivating seasonal produce in our garden.
Melissa moved from Albuquerque, New Mexico to work with Seeds of Hope for one year. And she’s hit the ground running! She’s already partnered with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, a Cub Scout troop, Eagle Scout, Thrive Academy, youth from the LDS church, another local community garden grower, and a few community members to adopt rows and begin planting.
Food that is harvested this season will be used in some of our other programs like the Hot Lunch and Los Angeles de Esperanza. Melissa plans occasional workshops and live demonstrations in the garden to promote a healthier lifestyle when it comes to food choices.
According to the AmeriCorps website, “Members in the VISTA program have joined the fight against poverty by helping local organizations expand their capacity to make change. Through capacity-building activities such as fundraising, grant writing research, and volunteer recruitment AmeriCorps members gain experience and leadership skills that help prepare them for a life of service.”
If you want to plant, water and harvest as a garden volunteer or just stay up to date on garden news, join our Seeds of Hope Community Garden Facebook group. Got an idea or want to share information about gardening? Melissa can be reached by calling our administration office at 520-836-6335 or by email at Melissa@seedsofhopeaz.com
