Community Gardens & Gleaning
The Academy at Glengary - Community Gardens
The iAmYes! Joyful Projects provided the startup materials, seeds, and labor for The Academy at Glengary that helps support their culinary training program that hosts and feeds other community organizations. The culinary program is part of the Transitional Employment (TE) program. The Academy partners with high profile local businesses to fill entry-level positions. We provide:
- Quality, reliable personnel (our amazing members!)
- A commitment to job coverage 100% of the time
- Ongoing job coaching
TE positions are part-time and typically last between 6 and 9 months. Members work at the employer’s place of business and are paid the commensurate wage directly by the employer. TE positions are entry-level jobs that provide a first step back into the workforce.
The Temple Emanu-EL Community Gardens
After Steve had his emergency stent procedure, he contacted Rabbi Brenner Glickman of Temple Emanu-EL and suggested thata "Year of Healthy Living" might be the Rosh Hashanah theme. That catapulted the community garden project for the Temple. Since 2019, Temple members have enjoyed celebrating the holiday of TuB'Shvat (holiday of the trees) at the Weinberger home. Activities have included harvesting tomatoes, potluck, a mezuzah hanging to bless the garden, and a Havdalah service (welcoming the new week). Families chose their boxes and Steve assisted in helping plant and helping to care for the growing vegetables. A special thanks and salute to Master Gardener, Fred Thibeau.
Booker Elementary School
Since Amy and Steve have relocated to Costa Rica, they dismantled their beautiful 45 boxes of gardens and donated all of the tools and seeds to the creation of the community garden at Booker Elementary School so that students have the opportunity to learn how to grow, care for, and cultivate their own nutritious food ecosystems.
Transitions Sarasota Gleaning Project
Transition Sarasota is a non-profit organization, of the greater Transition US movement, committed to developing community-driven solutions for our local food system.
Our vision is a sustainable, just, and thriving local food system. We proudly serve Sarasota, Manatee Counties and surrounding areas, advocating for local growing, sourcing, and economic benefit.
Each year Amy and Steve and participated in the process of gleaning. It is hard work to harvest food. One of Steve's favorite statements is that "all locals should participate in gleaning to better understand where they food comes from and the energies and efforts it takes to harvest them."