Vision 

Our vision is that everyone enjoys access to healthy, organic produce; a green space to grow food, flowers, and herbs in our urban environment; and an opportunity to work in companionship with nature and each other—celebrating the diversity of our community across ages, backgrounds, and cultures.

Our Mission: The Ithaca Community Gardens, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization

• Promotes food security and food self-sufficiency in the Ithaca community, providing space and resources for individuals and households to garden, regardless of income level, using environmentally sustainable organic practices.
• Promotes physical and mental health in our community by offering an opportunity for practical exercise for all ages and a space to enjoy companionship with other gardeners, quiet the mind, relax and relieve stress.
• Works to strengthen our community by providing an inclusive environment, reaching out to and encouraging participation by all who have an interest in gardening.

Our Values

We value inclusion and accessibility for all. We offer garden plots, tools, and soil amendments on site, provide support for those with special needs, and facilitate access to donated seeds and local grower-donated plants each season. Garden members are encouraged to take an active role in management and decision-making.

We honor our connection to the earth. We maintain a green space which supports biodiversity in an increasingly urban environment and nurture it for future generations. We use and teach sustainable organic gardening practices, working to improve soil health and fertility.

We support access to healthy, affordable food. Garden members maintain food donation plots and share their own bounty with local food pantries and kitchens. They support each other in learning how to grow fruits and vegetables, and share seeds and seedlings, exploring heirloom varieties and adapting culturally important foods from other parts of the world to our local environment.

We promote food justice, outreach, and collaboration. We offer an inclusive environment and are dedicated to community self-reliance and strengthening the capacity of community members to organize and carry through projects that create a more secure local food system. We collaborate with other community garden and food system organizations to create access to quality food for all.

We are mindful of the health of our community. We believe all should be nourished in body and mind by access to healthy food and a safe place to be outdoors and to exercise, enjoying the restoration which can come from engaging in gardening activities, friendly interactions with other gardeners, and being immersed in the natural and inclusive environment of the Gardens.

We value joy and fun in our endeavors. Sharing the experience of gardening and working with others on common projects, enjoying the successes and lessons of crop failure can be a joyful experience. We aim to celebrate life, friendship, and creativity in the Gardens. We want to see children playing, discovering nature, and sharing their pleasure of being outside.

We value creativity and openness as we adapt to the challenges of climate change. We see understanding and preparing for climate change as essential and seek information and insight into how to change our practices and crops so that we can continue to sustainably produce quality food even as the world we live in undergoes change.