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Who we are:
Grow It Forward Johnstown is a community food security project dedicated to helping people grow fresh food at home, regardless of space, income, age, or physical limitations. Grow It Forward Johnstown helps seniors, disabled residents, and low-income households increase food security through accessible home food production systems, individualized home visits, and gardening education.
Through education, simple, gardening solutions, and community partnerships, we help individuals and families learn how to grow food at home, even if all they have is a porch, patio, small yard, or even a windowsill.
Our goal is simple: grow food, help people, and build stronger communities one garden at a time.
Grow It Forward Announces Partnership with the Johnstown Housing Authority
Grow It Forward is proud to announce a new community partnership with the Johnstown Housing Authority through the Choice Neighborhood initiative.
This partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening neighborhoods by expanding opportunities for residents to grow fresh, healthy food at home while building community through gardening.
Through a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Grow It Forward will work alongside the Johnstown Housing Authority to support community gardening efforts, provide personalized home gardening guidance, and help make gardening more accessible for residents of all ages and abilities.
At Grow It Forward, we believe every person deserves the opportunity to experience the pride, confidence, and health benefits that come from growing their own food. Whether through a backyard garden, a raised bed, or a small porch container, our mission is to bring the garden to the person.
We are honored to partner with the Johnstown Housing Authority and look forward to working together to cultivate stronger neighborhoods, healthier families, and a more connected community.
July 2026
Our Latest Garden Story
Meet Mr. J.
Mr. J is a fine young man who just so happens to be extremely camera shy.
And that’s okay.
At Grow It Forward, we meet people where they are. ☺️
A few days ago, I met with Mr. J and his mother for a home visit. We talked about the space they had available, what they hoped to grow, and designed a garden that fit their yard and their goals.
Today was installation day.
Together, we assembled an 2’x2’x18-inch-deep raised garden bed and got our hands dirty mixing the soil.
For the main planter, we created a companion planting garden featuring banana peppers, bell peppers, and colorful nasturtiums. The nasturtiums will help attract pollinators while also helping draw certain unwanted pests away from the peppers. Around the perimeter of the bed, we sowed radish seeds to make good use of every inch of growing space.
We also put together a stackable grow tower where we planted four different varieties of lettuce, my favorite frizzy kale, and a few radishes.
On the very top level, we’re trying something a little different.
Bush beans.
I’ve never grown bush beans in the top of a grow tower before, so we’re going to learn together. Stay tuned, because I’m just as curious as you are to see how that little experiment turns out!
One thing I especially loved about today is that Mr. J didn’t just receive a garden.
He built it.
He mixed the soil, planted the vegetables, sowed the seeds, and learned every step along the way.
That’s what Grow It Forward is all about.
Helping people grow food where they live.
Welcome to the hive, Mr. J. 🐝🌱
🐝 Our Busy Bees
Our Busy Bees are backyard gardeners who grow an abundance of fresh produce and choose to share their overages with Grow It Forward Johnstown.
Grow It Forward collects these donations and connects them with neighbors in need through local food distribution partners specifically Vincent De Paul Food Pantries.
Every tomato, zucchini, pepper, head of lettuce, or basket of beans shared by a Busy Bee helps strengthen food security right here in our community.
Together, our Busy Bees prove that one backyard garden can help feed many.
Grow It Forward Johnstown welcomes partnerships with community organizations, businesses, volunteers, and supporters who believe in improving access to fresh food and gardening education.
Grow It Forward Johnstown is grateful for the businesses and organizations that have helped bring this project to life.
Special thanks to:
Our Community Partners
Johnstown Housing Authority
Bridges Cooperative Ministry
And Our Sponsors:
Territorial Seed Company
Dennis Unger with RE/MAX Realty
Lowe’s Home Improvement Store-Johnstown PA.
Fosbrink’s Four Seasons
Redwood Seed Company
Bantley's Hardware Store
Their generosity, expertise, and donations have helped make it possible to launch our first micro gardens and expand access to fresh food and gardening education in our community.
Additional sponsors and community partners will be recognized here as the project continues to grow.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572004663983
Grow It Forward Johnstown operates under the fiscal sponsorship of nonprofit partners through the Community Foundation For The Alleghenies.
We appreciate every contribution 👇🐝
www.nonprofit-partners.org/partner/grow-it-forward-johnstown-fund/
Grow It Forward in ACTION
Fox News 8 Now Johnstown-KC O'Day Show
We appreciate 👆every contibution 🐝
Brooke Sanders-micro garden workshop
We appriciate our sponsors. Dennis Unger of RE/MAX Realty.
Working with our children gardeners
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