1. Seedling
Project
of Indiana County
Participating Organizations:
Zion Lutheran Church, Indiana
The Indiana County Seedling
Project’s pilot year was in 2013 and was
modeled after a much larger seedling
distribution done annually by Greater
Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. The
premise behind the distribution is
empowerment and access. Many
individuals with lower incomes live in
food deserts with limited choices and the
cost of buying fresh produce can hinder
individuals from eating healthy. One
plant cannot feed an entire family
however; growing gardens has many
other benefits including:
 Saving money– A well-managed
garden can produce up to $40 per
square foot
 Empowerment– providing the tools to
be successful helps families take their
gardening further in the years to come.
 Stress relief– Studies has shown that
gardening reduces stress, provides low
impact exercise and also gets people
out in the fresh air.
The initial year saw great success assisting
70 families and distributing over 250
plants. In the second year, the project was
able to double those numbers. The
popularity of the distribution continues
to grow throughout the community as this
project is swiftly becoming a staple for the
residents of Indiana .

2. We rely on monetary and in-kind donations from
local and national organizations, as well as a host
of volunteers
Advanced preparations include portioning seeds,
drilling drainage holes in buckets and amending
soil to create the best possible scenario for
success with the plants
Clients are registered in advance . The day of the
distribution, they check in with our volunteers
Clients are matched with a volunteer who walks with
them through the whole process
Master gardeners are on hand to provide
recommendations, instructions and advice
Those who don’t have any access to land are provided
with buckets and dirt to create a container garden
The distribution is during a normal food
pantry distribution to make it convenient for
the clients.
Master Gardeners are available in the
following months for any assistance the
clients may need.
The food pantry and the Indiana Community
Garden work together for the rest of the
season to provide fresh produce to clients
If you or your
organization is
interested in
being a part of the
Seedling Project
Contact:
icg@gmail.com
(724)427-0526
(814) 244-4072