[TheUWfarm] For Immediate Release: Food Activists, City Officials Recruited to Bring Food Access to All

For Immediate Press Release

Contact: michael@eatyouryard.com or Stephanie growingvictorious@gmail.com

04.01.2010

Food Activists and City Officials Being Recruited to Bring Food Access to All

Dear Seattle's food-activists, writers, news reporters, and supportive city officials,

Thank you to all you passionate people working on food related -policies, programs, and issues.   Thank you for your time and energy towards the many great farmers markets, restaurants, garden/farmer support, and the local food movement in general.

Spring into Bed  (http://springintobed.org/ is a grass-roots garden building effort and evening celebration to:

·          Support the effort to build our city's food infrastructure- we want to add acres in small plots.

·         Support people of low income's ability to grow good, healthy, and super-local food.

·         Connect people, organizations, and businesses  (to get things done in over the long-term)

Spring into Bed is a "Fun-Run" about supporting at minimum 10 gardeners with low incomes build gardens.   However, rather than raising money for cancer research, we are working to prevent cancer--caused by poor food access--in the first place.   

For anyone who is fond of the work of Will Allen-- " Stop talking and do something within 3 months" -- there  is an event this Spring that requests your support .  On May 8^th organizations in Portland and Olympia are both building 10 gardens on the day so Seattle can at least match that, right? 

This is an opportunity for direction action--captains are needed who will help fund-raise and help build the gardens the day of the event.  $1000 will build a set of 3 raised beds and help another 3 get built in the future.   Seattle Tilth is serving as fiscal sponsor, so all donations are tax deductable (just ask your accountant).  So far The Garden Project and Cascadian Edible Landscapes  have stepped up to be captains.  For anyone considering being a captain, throwing a couple of parties or asking friends, families, or neighbors to support the cause goes a long way.     

Mayor McGinn thanks for your donation of seeds towards the event and for supporting a food bank garden on city hall.   Council President Conlin- Thank you for working on the Local Food Action Initiative and thank you for (helping ) declare 2010 Year of Urban Agriculture.  I'd like to invite you, your offices, and friends to captain a Food Justice garden bed.   Additionally, it would be really helpful if  you could help secure a donation of minimum 30 yards of Cedar Grove Compost and up to 150 cubic yards; we'll  have to collectively figure out where to store it.

If championing the cause is not your thing, you can still commit to contributing to local-food security on your own or with your neighbors.  Choose your adventure and be sure to report how many square feet you build on May 8^th and then come to the PARTY!   www.Springintobed.org

Happy Planting and See you on May 8^th,

Michael Seliga -  Cascadian Edible Landscapes- www.eatyouryard.com

Supporter-  www.springintobed.org