First we found the land… (brochure)
Client: Growing Home
Format: Three-panel brochure.
Growing Home is an upstart not-for-profit designed to use organic agriculture to teach self-sufficiency to homeless and other low-income. The organization needed a fundraising tool. While this is the language I originally proposed, the group eventually chose a more traditional not-for-profit tone for its final piece.
Sample: First we found the land…
Cover:
First we found the land…
Then we tilled it…
Then we planted it…
And now we will harvest it.
If you ever thought the answer to homelessness was self-sufficiency,
This is the program you need to know about.
Inside:
We have been the rootless of our community,
But we weren’t always that way.
We have names like Charles, Shirley, Ed, Cora. We had parents who cared for us, and some who couldn’t.
We have worked, and some of us have raised children. But when we couldn’t find work, we lost everything — including our homes.
Without roots, we could not grow,
But now we have that chance.
Since 1995 many of us have found hope through Growing Home. We’ve learned about business and marketing, and we’ve worked hard to build our garden which will provide chemical-free organic vegetables for consumers.
With the soil under our feet and our fingernails,
We are part of our community again.
Organic food is healthy for all of us. With Growing Home we’re learning how to grow organics, right in Chicago. But more than that, we’re learning business, job readiness and life skills that will make us marketable in today’s economy.
Our Growing Project
In 1995, the well-respected Chicago Coalition for the Homeless founded Growing Home. We established our own board and staff of community activists, ecologists and educators. Our goal was to build a self-sustaining not-for-profit group to train and employ homeless and near-homeless people for the job market. At the same time we could provide a useful, healthy product to our community.
Through the McKinney Act of 1987, Growing Home acquired a large city lot to grow organic produce. Using the latest available technology, we have turned the lot into a certified organic garden.
This year, Growing Home has expanded its efforts by acquiring another 10 acres in LaSalle County. Both of these lots will serve as training centers for future employable workers.
Outside:
Our Growing Market:
We have studied the Chicago market for organic foods, and already made progress laying the groundwork for our product.
Farmers’ Markets:
Through negotiations with the City of Chicago, Growing Home will have access to every Farmers’ Market in the City throughout the season.
Navy Pier:
We will also have our own stall at Navy Pier, where we can sell produce, herbs and value-added products made from our organic foods.
Gourmet Restaurants:
Organic is the food of choice for Chicago’s upscale restaurants as well, and Bistro 110 has already committed to buying all of its organic produce from us.
Grocery Stores:
We plan to approach local grocery stores and national health food chains as well.
The Neighborhood:
Growing Home’s gardens will be available to local residents to learn about and grow their own organic produce. We will establish a small farmers’ market on site to help residents sell their produce to their neighbors.
Back flap:
Growing Home:
We’re a growing part of the landscape.
Growing Home provides healthy work, healthy workers and healthy food for Chicago’s economy.
Join our group of advocates, scientists and citizens in a true growth experience.
Growing Home has room for you:
- As a donor — we’re still growing, so we welcome “venture capital” of any size until we get on our feet.
- As a volunteer — we’re developing our program right now. If you’d like to help, we’ll find a way.
- As a consumer — look for us at Farmers Markets and on Navy Pier this summer.
Take the time to buy organic, from a group that’s growing more than vegetables we’re Growing Home.
(312) 435-8601