Urban Seed Logs Record Harvest in 15th Season, Sets 2027 Focus on Building an Organization That Lasts
Volunteers at Eastpointe and South Warren community gardens donated 2,037 pounds of fresh produce in 2026, up 18% from
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Eastpointe, MI, Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Volunteers with Urban Seed, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs community gardens in Eastpointe and Warren, logged and donated 2,037 pounds of fresh produce in 2026. It’s the most food Urban Seed has given away since it began digitally tracking harvests in 2022, breaking the 2025 record of 1,728 pounds.
Urban Seed Impact Dashboard showing pounds of food donated by year, including a record-breaking harvest in 2026
Volunteers weigh and log each harvest before it goes out to neighbors free of charge, and the running total is posted on the Impact page at https://urbanseed.info. This is Urban Seed’s first annual harvest report, and the board plans to publish one each fall.
From mutual aid to a second garden
Urban Seed’s roots go back to 2012, when neighbors started Eastpointe Community Garden at 16425 E. Nine Mile Road as a mutual aid effort. The group later incorporated as a 501(c)(3) so it could partner with the City of Eastpointe, choosing the name Urban Seed so the organization wouldn’t be tied to one location. In 2024, the city signed a 25-year lease with Urban Seed for the garden site.
That partnership became the model for a second site. In 2025, Urban Seed worked with local residents to open South Warren Community Garden at 13690 Toepfer through a lease with the City of Warren. Both gardens run under the same nonprofit, board and bylaws.
A new board
Urban Seed elected its 2026-27 board of directors on Sept. 30 by ranked ballot, the method set out in its bylaws. The board brings experience running nonprofits, local government, finance, public relations, law, business, nutrition and food security, along with years of hands-on gardening.
The board’s two newest directors bring both sides of what the organization needs. Nicola Strong has volunteered at both gardens for years. Janee Almond, a lifelong gardener, studied food access in Detroit.
“My grandfather taught me to garden. He was a gentle giant, and gardening was his hobby. Growing up in Detroit, I learned that fresh, affordable produce isn’t something every neighborhood can count on, and I made food access the focus of my studies. Urban Seed does something about that. I’ve spent 15 years in the legal field, including building office policies and procedures from the ground up, and I’m excited to bring that experience, along with my research and writing, to help this organization grow,” said Almond.
Building for the next generation
In 2027, the board will focus on written policies and standard operating procedures. The goal is simple. Everything it takes to run two gardens should be written down, so the next board and the next group of volunteers can pick it up and keep going.
Over the next 12 months, the board’s goals include new educational programs on food insecurity, grant documentation, a social media policy, a refined business sponsorship program, advisory boards, a clearer process for electing each garden’s liaisons, new ways to collect volunteer input and a written guide to board roles. Urban Seed wants its gardens, and the programs that grow out of them, to serve Eastpointe and Warren for generations.
How to help
Urban Seed runs on volunteers and community support. Neighbors can volunteer at either garden, donate at https://urbanseed.info, or connect a local business as a sponsor. Sign up to volunteer at https://urbanseed.info/volunteer
Frequently asked questions
Are the gardens open to the public? Yes. Eastpointe Community Garden and South Warren Community Garden are both open to the public year round, with events happening before and after the growing season.
Who gets the produce? It’s donated to people in the community at no cost. Volunteers weigh and log each harvest before it goes out, and those numbers help Urban Seed gain community support and earn the grants that fund its programs.
Does Urban Seed sell what it grows? No, and its community events are free. Urban Seed is funded by grants, local business sponsors and individual donations.
Who runs the gardens day to day? Urban Seed’s board of directors oversees both gardens. Day-to-day work is carried out by volunteers and coordinated by each garden’s two liaisons, one board member and one volunteer, within the policies and budget the board sets.
How are Urban Seed’s directors elected? By ranked ballot, once a year. Each sitting director ranks every candidate on an anonymous ballot, and the seats go to the candidates with the strongest combined rankings. The method, a Borda count, is set out in Article IV, Section 11 of the bylaws.
Can anyone volunteer? Yes. Volunteers under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult.
Photographs of vegetables grown, harvested, and donated through Urban Seed’s community gardens
About Urban Seed
Urban Seed is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Eastpointe, Michigan. It traces its roots to Eastpointe Community Garden, founded in 2012, and today runs Eastpointe Community Garden and South Warren Community Garden. Its purpose is to promote community spirit, beautify our community, provide education about gardening, donate food to the community, and support the urban agriculture movement. Learn more at urbanseed.info.
Press Inquiries
John Hofmann,
Urban Seed Board of Directors
j.hofmann [at] urbanseed.info
