GROWING PONTIAC

Growing Food Together Transforms Us

Growing Pontiac believes that all people deserve equitable access to healthy, nutritious foods and beautiful neighborhoods.

Since 2015, we’ve been helping Pontiac gardeners start growing their own herbs, flowers, fruit, and vegetables! Have you considered starting a garden but aren’t sure where to begin? Do you need seeds, soil, plants, and other essential support? We can help.

From a bucket tomato plant to a community garden, you have the power to transform your community and plate with a single seed.

Join the Club
Group of garden club members in the greenhouse with seeding trays. Adults and kids.

Investigating our food values, connecting with our neighbors.

Growing food provides so many opportunities: for exercise, for play, for friendship. When we garden, we share advice and produce. We can cultivate flavors we remember from our childhood, connect to the land, and put our hands in the soil. Curiosity is rewarded, and we can surround ourselves with beauty. Growing food gives us a feeling of accomplishment, security, and community power. We believe anyone can connect with a garden.

To garden successfully, we all need support and supplies! We are working to provide a network of gardening resources and make it bigger every year.

Get Involved
Maroon bee smoker
Two people smiling, one holding a piece sign.
Person in yellow jacket poking veggies on a grill with tongs.
Two people leading a cooking class.
Two people smiling, holding a shovel, and spreading woodchips.

Stats Since Our Start

Since we gained non-profit status in 2019, we’ve provided educational and material support to growing food and installing native pollinator plants through our Garden Resource Club. We offer kinship, free seeds, free soil and compost access, free classes, low-cost organic transplants, and more.

Our membership has grown by 670% since our inception — with 208 members in 2025.

272

14.5k

Low-cost Garden Transplants Sown

Classes & Event Gatherings

1.5k

33k

Seed Packets Made Available

Native Plants Distributed

Learn more

  • "I planted veg I never planned on trying because I received it through being a GRC member. There was nothing to lose and everything to gain and we ended up loving it."

    —Garden Resource Club Member

  • "The GRC has not only helped me improve the health of my garden/property, it has also provided an invaluable resource to increase knowledge of the environment around us and create an expansive community connection. I have had only positive experiences from all of different forms of outreach the GRC provides."

    —Gaby, Garden Resource Club Member

  • "Planting seeds, caring for the plants as they mature, watching them grow, harvesting, learning new recipes, canning and drying….it keeps me so joyfully productive. It helps me feel closer to my ancestors and to Mother Earth."

    —Kim, Garden Resource Club Member

  • "I find the group to be very helpful for our seniors here in Pontiac."

    —Garden Resource Club Member

  • "I have found all the classes that I have attended helpful. My experience has been amazing with the educational support I have received."

    —Garden Resource Club Member

Who We Are

Our mission is to help our neighbors grow food, flowers, and medicine for the whole ecological community.

Our vision is to build a just food system that honors the land and provides abundant access to fresh food for all, including our other than human kin.

We believe that all people deserve food choices that offer nutrition, joy, and good memories. We work for a food system that integrates food sovereignty and self-determination at the neighborhood level. Our strategic focus is supporting home and community gardens with resources, classes, and networks of social support. We believe in the power of gardens to transform our neighborhoods, urban ecosystems and food values.

Donate
Colorful woven basket with different shapes and sizes of red and green peppers.

Community Partners

We are grateful for all the incredible organizations and partners that help us offer quality classes, programming and who share their resources and expertise to help us serve our community.

Thank you to:

Total Door | WeCare Neighborhood Association | Oakland County Food Policy Council