In this time when there is a clear need, and a yearning, to strengthen and create meaningful relationships and connections in order to address the local and global challenges that we all face, I am grateful to work at GRuB. I work with incredible people every day who are passionate and inspired about creating opportunities and spaces for people to show up, and for their unique contributions to be seen, heard and valued; spaces where love is built and sustained.

GRuB is a big, beautiful experiment. An experiment in learning and remembering how to love ourselves, each other and the land. Young people come to school here and talk about feeling the love of family. Gardeners from low-income families engage in our work and speak to the love a garden can sew in their own families. Veterans work the land shoulder-to-shoulder and reconnect to a camaraderie, purpose and love that can be hard to find in civilian life.

We don’t always get it right.  We make mistakes; often. Our programs don’t always meet their intended outcomes. Sometimes we hear from a student, gardener or veteran about all the ways our programs don’t work. Sometimes people engaged in this work feel left out or unsupported. Sometimes our crops don’t grow or produce as much as we would like. It’s in these times that we do our best to choose the act of strengthening our love muscles, by graciously receiving critical feedback, openly acknowledging a mistake, or consciously resolving a conflict. In doing so, we build real, hard-working, heart-opening and community-changing love. The kind you won’t find in a Hallmark card or a movie.

Join me in the GRuB-love Movement this year. My goal is to raise $1,000 by the end of the year. With your help, there’s no limit to how much the love will grow! No amount is too small (or large), and monthly contributions are great too.

With gratitude, appreciation and...love,

Jackson

GRuB is reaching out to our wonderful community to help us meet our annual fundraising goal of $50,000 by December 31st. Please read our story and help us grow the GRuB hive this season. Bee kind, bee supportive and bee generous!  Your donations to GRuB are tax deductible!