Fall can feel like the end of so much, as we gather in the last pumpkins and dry the chilies that ripened over the summer. But as all of you gardeners know, it is also the time of new beginnings, when we nestle garlic cloves in the ground for next year’s crop, and sow cover crops like fava beans to help restore the soil from a busy year of planting. This season, our 10th autumn, we are very much in tune with fall being a pivotal point at Green Plate Special.
It is the end of one era: Our founder, Laura Dewell has stepped down as the executive director of Green Plate Special (GPS). The Board is grateful for her decade of dedication to the organization: she saw a garden and grew it, and a community of families, volunteers, and supporters just like you. We thank her for all of her work.
Fall is also a time to foster new beginnings, and the board and staff of GPS remain committed to the youth and families we serve. GPS is organizationally strong, and we continue to cultivate our current partnerships and new ones that we have formed since the start of the COVID-19 crisis - both are critical to our future. In our ongoing education programs we hope to serve as a model for others, while developing new programs at the heart of youth education and the food justice movement.
Our board is in the process of hiring an interim executive director to ensure current stability. As we embark on our search for a new executive director, we are looking for a visionary leader who can help GPS realize even more of its potential to inspire and empower youth through growing, cooking and sharing food. We encourage individuals from all cultures and communities to apply.
Normally around this time of year, we would be welcoming you to a night under the stars at our annual Garden Gala. This year (of course) is different, and we will be launching a very special online fundraising campaign to celebrate 10 years of Green Plate Special. Please keep your eyes on your inbox this week for updates on this opportunity to support the new, exciting future of GPS.
We hope you will continue to help us on this journey; we welcome your questions or suggestions as we set the future of GPS. Feel free to contact me with any questions by replying to this email or giving me a call: (206)602-6845
Sincerely,
Gloria Fortune - Board President, on behalf of the Green Plate Special Board of Directors
On the corner of 25th Ave S and S. Walker, next to the 2100 Building
