Torona titaha
Ko te kaupapa whakahira o tēnei roopu
Ki te whakamana i ngā taiohi e
Ko te kaupapa ō ēnei kai mahi ē
Ki te whakaoratia i ngā whanaunga e
Hi aue hi
Ko te pātai nui mā wai e mahi ana
Mātou e mahi ana, mātou e mahi ana
Ko te pātai nui mā wai e mahi ana
Mātou e mahi ana, matou e mahi ana
Mē pēhea rā
Ma okū pūkenga, tāonga, mātauranga
Me te whakapono ki tō tātou Atua
Ko te ingoa runga ake ngā ingoa
Ko Ihu Karaiti hi!
The great purpose of this team
is to empower youth.
The mandate of these workers is to bring health and restoration to families.
The burning question is, who will do it?
We will do it, we will do it!
How will we do it?
Through our skills, gifts, talents,
knowledge and expertise and our faith
and our belief in our God,
the name above all names, Jesus Christ.
Our Beginning
Project Sprout took root in founder Nadia Shabazz’s backyard. Her family had a need for fresh produce since the nearest supermarket only carried semi-spoiled bananas and tomatoes. Shabazz started small, planting leafy greens and berries. When it came time to harvest, she gave extras away to neighbors. She began to see drastic improvements in her children’s health and thought that everyone on her block could benefit. She began inviting neighbors who didn’t have gardens to come plant on her land.
“A happy and healthy community is not a fairytale. All you need is a seed.”
— NADIA Shabazz, FOUNDER
Shabazz had to extend the garden to her front lawn but even then, it wasn’t enough to feed all who wanted to be involved. With neighbors January Blum and Lucas Dupont, Shabazz found a large vacant lot on Main Street and secured it as a farming cooperative. Word about Project Sprout spread throughout Kent County, so the team was invited to help start other community gardens.
Our Mission
Kent County is one of the most severely underserved communities in Tennessee. To combat this adversity, Project Sprout seeks to nourish our neighbors at the most fundamental level with healthy food options and a strong support network. All members get a portion of each harvest and surpluses are donated to low-income families whose work schedules prevent them from volunteering.
60%
of families bibendum eleifend
30%
interdum mauris egestas non
10%
Maecenas a ultricies elit
With ten gardens and counting, Project Sprout has seen a significant improvement in mental and physical health for all participating community members. Other than lowering obesity, blood pressure, and depression rates, the crime rate has also fallen. Our children are doing better in school, reporting higher grades and aspirations, and better job prospects.
Get Involved
If you live near one of our gardens, get involved to receive portions of each harvest. We accept volunteers regardless of skill level. There is a rotation in roles, but we’ll teach you all the skills you need to know. Teenagers 14 years and older can earn community service credits for school in addition to getting produce for their families. Donations are also vital to our growth, as we use them for seed, fertilizer, tools, and outreach.