ABOUT
The Giving Gardens
OUR STORY
Passions Coming Together
The Giving Gardens was founded in 2022 when John Curtis created and managed four public access gardens in the town of Macomb, Illinois. For John, the Giving Gardens brought together several personal passions: gardening, teaching, serving the community and making the world greener.
CONNECTING with Food
For many years, John and KMC managed a CSA farm called Barefoot Gardens (a CSA is a subscription service where members receive a share of what the CSA farm produces each week). What was unusual about Barefoot Gardens was that John acted as the gardener for his members, creating beautiful edible landscapes, where his members were invited to harvest anything they wanted for themselves. Most members found the self harvest to be a huge plus, allowing them to connect with their food in a way that was unique, special and even transformational.
WHOLE Community HARVESTING
John founded the Giving Gardens as a way to bring that direct connection with gardens and food to the whole community rather than just those members who could afford it. The idea behind the public access gardens was to create an opportunity for many people to participate in a garden and connect with their food in a real way.
OUR TEAM
AT THE GIVING GARDENS
The Giving Gardens Team is the heart behind everything we do. From maintaining the gardens and harvesting produce, to organizing community events and sharing our story online, this passionate group
ensures that every aspect of Giving Gardens thrives. More than just keeping things running smoothly, our team cultivates the sense of connection and care that makes Giving Gardens a truly special place for all.
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John Curtis
FOUNDER, DIRECTOR and LEAD GARDENER
John Curtis is the founder, director and lead gardener at The Giving Gardens. He believes that many of the problems that face modern humanity could be solved by reconnecting people with their landscapes. For more than 25 years, John and his partner, KMC, operated Barefoot Gardens CSA, a small farm-based business where they grew vegetables, herbs, flowers and berries and fostered a sense of community among their members. John also served on the board and as president of Illinois Stewardship Alliance, a statewide nonprofit that develops policy and advocates for local food initiatives throughout Illinois.
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Whitney Fowler
Whitney grew up on a farm in McDonough County which inspired her to study environmental sustainability, gardening, and landscape design as an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois. After graduating, she joined the team to give back to her local community and learn more about how gardening can make the world a better place. She helps lead other team members in addition to physical garden work, internal capacity building, volunteer coordination, and event planning. Whitney loves being part of the team because she found a sense of community and she believes her AmeriCorps service truly makes a difference in people’s lives. -
Brent Hopkins
This is Brent’s third year serving at the Giving Gardens through AmeriCorps, where he has helped research and implement a number of garden infrastructure projects such as drip irrigation, tool acquisition, fencing and more. His favorite thing about the Giving Gardens is the way that so many community members are able to interact in the Gardens in an informal, relaxed way. He especially enjoys seeing children experience harvesting fresh vegetables. -
Po Wilkey
Po is the newest AmeriCorps member at the Giving Gardens. This is Po's third AmeriCorps placement, following previous service at La Puente in Alamosa, Colorado, and HandsOn New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana. Driven by a strong passion for community service, Po is dedicated to making a lasting impact on local food systems and community development. Po leads the Giving Gardens' earned income and relationship-building initiative. -
Nicole Spencer
Nicole is an experienced nonprofit program director with a deep passion for plants, home gardening, and foraging wild edibles. She joined The Giving Gardens team to drive infrastructure and capacity building, support expansion efforts, and expand her own gardening expertise on a larger scale. A firm believer in the organization’s mission and vision, Nicole is dedicated to providing the community with fresh, healthy nutritional options. Beyond her professional role, she delights in tending the gardens and contributing to both their growth and that of the organization—finding true joy in wandering through a blooming garden bursting with vibrant colors and life.
OUR VOLUNTEERS
AT THE GIVING GARDENS
We rely heavily on a team of dedicated and capable volunteers to maintain the gardens, harvest produce to share with the community, host events, manage our social media, and much, much more. The Giving Gardens
would not be possible without the help of our volunteers; not only do they help everything run smoothly, but they actively maintain the sense of community that makes the Giving Gardens so special.
OUR PARTNERS
THAT MAKE THE GIVING GARDENS POSSIBLE
We rely heavily on a team of dedicated and capable volunteers to maintain the gardens, harvest produce to share with the community, host events, manage our social media, and much, much more. The Giving Gardens
would not be possible without the help of our volunteers; not only do they help everything run smoothly, but they actively maintain the sense of community that makes the Giving Gardens so special.
First Presbyterian Church of Macomb
First Presbyterian Church of Macomb is the home base of The Giving Gardens. The church houses our offices, our tool room, our seedling room and one of our public access gardens. First Presbyterian Church also currently serves as the fiscal sponsor of The Giving Gardens.
Fellows Program in Rural Community Development through the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs (IIRA) and AmeriCorp
We rely heavily on our AmeriCorps members who come to us through the IIRA and the Fellows Program in Rural Community Development. Our team of AmeriCorps members organize our volunteers and provide much of the labor for our gardens and programs.
