City Blossoms

City Blossoms is a nonprofit dedicated to cultivating the well-being of our communities through creative programming in kid-driven gardens. Applying our unique brand of gardens, science, art, healthy living, and community building, we "blossom" in neighborhoods where kids, their families, and neighbors may not otherwise have access to green spaces. 

Since 2008, City Blossoms has designed, developed, collaborated, and provided programming or trainings for over 100 projects throughout Washington D.C., and nationwide. The City Blossoms model interweaves four core elements: healthy living skills, environmental education, artistic expression, and most importantly community development.

City Blossoms develops multi-year relationships with children, families, and communities by designing programming that provides a connection to nature for ages 2 through 19. Children and youth are the cultivators and stewards of City Blossoms gardens and of all programming that takes place within them. Over the last 13 years, thousands of participants, from toddlers through teens, have been engaged as cultivators, using their creativity, intellect, and energy to shape their communities through fantastic and functional gardens.

Every year City Blossoms’ efforts provided on average over 2,200 hours of free and affordable interactive activities, access for over 10,000 children and youth citywide, and community engagement for over 800 volunteers and neighbors.

The coronavirus crisis has highlighted the disparities in educational resources and access to safe outdoor space that is so desperately needed. City Blossoms work is at the intersection of these inequities. Since the pandemic began, we have adapted to provide safe in-person, hybrid, and virtual programming that meets the moment. Here are some examples: forced us to be nimble and adapt quickly. Since March, we have adjusted our programs in the following ways:

1. Increased our virtual professional development opportunities for educators across the city.
2. Revised our classroom lessons for online learning platforms used by our school and early childhood center partners.
3. Grown healthy, fresh food in our Community Green Space gardens and shared that food with local mutual aid groups and food banks.
4. Created and shared additional free resources to engage children in fun, easy gardening and cooking activities at home.
5. Continued to provide as much safe, socially distant, in-person programming as possible at our large outdoor gardens. We are currently providing a baseline of 18 hours of in-person programming a week. 

Our overarching goal is to remain nimble to continue to meet the changing needs of our community members and children. Thank you for supporting us so that we can continue to build healthy communities through this health crisis and beyond!

MISSION:

City Blossoms cultivates the well-being of our communities through creative programming in kid-driven gardens.

VISION :

We envision cities with abundant, accessible green spaces where communities thrive and children build lifelong connections to the natural world.

WHAT OUR BIGGEST FANS HAVE TO SAY :

"We’ve been coming to this garden every week since quarantine started, it’s sort of like our little oasis."
— Cardozo School Garden neighbor and son

“Marion Street Garden is a hidden gem. City Blossoms staff have helped me and the neighborhood youth to bring this garden and our home gardens to life.”
— Donna, Marion St.  Garden Neighbor

"Just being in this program, you learn that everybody is here to support and love you."
— Candice, Youth Entrepreneurship Cooperative Participant

"Our infant and our toddlers class visited the Marion Garden was a fabulous experience. We know infants learn about the world through their senses: touch, sight, sound, taste, and smell. This garden is a perfect and developmentally appropriate outdoor learning environment and offers such good experience and benefits across all the developmental areas.
— Maria, Barbara Chambers Children's Center Director