Places to grow
Flowers, food-growing spaces, and plants that bring everyday beauty and opportunities to learn.
Our vision for the CanalOur Canal.
Our Canal.
Our Garden District.
Imagine a neighborhood where gardens are part of everyday life. Where children help things grow, families share what they know, and every new patch of green is a place to belong.
Watch what we can grow together
Our first Green Fest. A community in motion.
In June 2026, our students welcomed neighbors to Pickleweed Park with exhibits, plants, sewing, and live music. Watch the recap and see the people bringing our Garden District vision to life.
More gardens.
More reasons to come together.
We see a Canal connected by gardens: along neighborhood streets, at schools, and in shared spaces where neighbors choose to grow together. A Garden District shaped by the people who call it home.
Room to belong
Gardens cared for across generations, with family Mingas and shared knowledge at their heart.
Young people leading
Children discovering that they can help shape the neighborhood around them.
What we’ve accomplished · 2024–2026
Small beginnings. Shared accomplishments.
Across 2024, 2025, and 2026, our work has connected young people, families, and the land. This chapter of our story is the foundation for the Garden District we want to grow next.
A place to learn, create, and belong
We worked alongside Canal youth through after-school tutoring, art, sewing, workshops, and group learning. Students found extra support, practiced new skills, and learned what they can contribute together.
Read the story →Turning shared spaces into places of care
We helped start and care for gardens in the Canal, bringing students, families, and neighbors into the work. Planting and watering became ways to learn, give back, and build a greener neighborhood together.
Read the story →Students shared their learning with everyone
Our first Green Fest brought the community to Pickleweed Park in June 2026. Students hosted ecosystem exhibits, shared plants, taught sewing, collaborated with other groups, and celebrated with live music.
Read the story →Already taking rootThis future has
This future has
already begun.
Raíces del Canal students and families are already caring for gardens, improving shared spaces, and learning side by side. These everyday acts of care are the foundation for something larger.
A shared space, cared for together
Families and gardeners worked together on the garden near Picante and Cardenas—bringing tools, effort, and care to a neighborhood space.
Read the story →
Growing care for the places we learn
At Bahía Vista Elementary, students give back after school by tending a garden at a school several of them attend.
Read the story →Every second Saturday · In the Canal
A vision grows when we keep showing up.
Our monthly Mingas give community care a steady rhythm. Every second Saturday, students, parents, and neighbors come together in the Canal to work on the gardens and spend time with one another.
That consistency matters: gardens need ongoing care, children learn by returning and trying again, and relationships deepen through time together. Alongside the work, there is room for music, cultural learning, and every generation’s voice.
Find the next Minga →Proposed roadmap · 2027 and beyondGrow thoughtfully.
Grow thoughtfully.
Keep growing together.
This is an invitation to help shape the next chapter. The timeline below is a proposed direction, guided by community priorities, available funding, site permissions, and the capacity to care for each garden over time.
- 2027
Listen & lay the groundwork
Bring neighbors, students, volunteers, and potential partners into the conversation. Identify places where gardens are welcome and plan for water, access, and ongoing care.
- 2028
Plant & care together
Seek support for new garden projects while caring for existing ones. Connect planting days with youth learning, family Mingas, and clear plans for maintenance.
- 2029
Connect the gardens
Work toward a network of garden spaces and the people who care for them. Share skills, exchange ideas, and create more opportunities for young people to take part and lead.
- 2030 & beyond
Make the care last
Build the partnerships and steady support that help gardens thrive year after year. Keep learning from what works, welcome new neighbors, and grow at a pace the community can sustain.
A proposed roadmap, not a fixed construction schedule. Specific sites, budgets, and planting dates will be developed with community members and partners.
Green Fest · Our annual community gatheringA shared vision.
A shared vision.
A reason to celebrate.
Green Fest is our annual invitation for the Canal community to come together—to learn, create, share, and celebrate what we can grow together. It is a place for students, families, neighbors, and community partners to connect around a greener future.
At Green Fest 2026, RDC students welcomed the community with exhibits, plant giveaways, sewing activities, live music, and collaboration with other groups. Their learning became something the whole community could experience.
As the Garden District vision grows, Green Fest can be an annual moment to share garden stories, celebrate the people caring for them, welcome new supporters, and imagine the next chapter together.
Help the vision take rootWhat your support
What your support
could help grow.
A garden needs a beginning—and people who can keep showing up. We are seeking donors, sponsors, volunteers, and community partners to help turn this vision into a practical, lasting effort.
Plants, soil & tools
The everyday materials that help a new garden get started.
Care through the seasons
Water planning, maintenance, and the coordination that keeps shared spaces cared for.
Learning in the garden
Hands-on opportunities for students to explore, ask questions, and contribute.
Neighbors working together
Mingas, volunteer participation, and time to share skills across generations.
Progress we can see and share
As projects develop, we want to share the gardens being cared for, the workdays and learning activities taking place, and what each next step needs. The aim is steady, visible progress shaped by the community.
The next garden starts with usLet’s grow the
Let’s grow the
Garden District.
Help fund a new chapter for the Canal. Tell us how you would like to contribute, and Maite and Yavar can follow up about giving, sponsorship, materials, or a community partnership.
