Growing Employee Compassion
In 2014, Dow AgroSciences employees created a community garden with the goal of supplying fresh fruits and vegetables to local food pantries. In 2015, the garden was expanded and currently consists of 12 large plots and 72 small plots on the property of Dow AgroSciences Indianapolis site.
The small plots are individually owned by company employees who donate their time to tend to their crops. The crop is split 50/50 with half of the crop earmarked for donation to local food pantries and the other half for the employee. The large plots and berry plots are designated for the food pantries and are tended by employee volunteers. More than 100 Dow employees plant, weed, and harvest the garden. Crops are harvested in both the spring and fall growing seasons.
The garden is also designed for education. Each year, more than 300 people tour the garden to learn about agriculture and local food insecurity. HardingPoorman partnered with Dow AgroSciences to make the garden more visible by producing mesh fence signage and garden signage designed to guide and inform visitors while visiting the garden.
In the first three years, the garden has produced and donated more than 12,000 pounds of food to local food pantries which translates to more than 25,000 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables. In 2017, the garden is on target to provide a record harvest of more than 12,000 pounds of food in one year – almost as much as the initial 3 years combined.
Due to the commitment of Dow AgroSciences employees, and the Harvest for Hunger Garden, human compassion supports the Indianapolis community year after year.
