Green Village Initiative

Reservoir community farm and youth leadership program - reservoir community farm, bridgeport's first urban farm, is a 1.7 acre welcoming community gathering place and educational farm. We engage hundreds of individuals in farming and gardening while growing and selling pesticide-free produce at below market prices. Each year hundreds of volunteers have grown with us at reservoir community farm during open volunteer days. Our youth program cultivates local high school youth as representatives of social change. The program incorporates job-readiness and food justice advocacy in addition to agricultural skill-building at reservoir community farm.

Youth leadership program strived to cultivate young food leaders in bridgeport by developing skills in agricultural knowledge, food justice, career readiness, and leadership. These skills were achieved through participation in the summer youth crew and academic year fellowships which spanned many years and saw the participation of many talented young leaders. Youth helped determine their role in the food system by forging meaningful connections with their neighbors, land, community, and city.

Community gardens and partner gardens - community gardens is a network of 12 neighborhood gardens that nourish our bridgeport community. Gardens provde families a place to grow vegetables otherwise unavilable in most or all bridgeport neighborhoods and help stretch food budgets. Gvi delivers streamlined support to increase gardeners' self-determination and facilitate agricultural skill-building among the community. Our team consults partner organizations and peer groups on building and maintaining garden beds and community gardens. Our community garden network supports about 150 bridgeport families in growing their own food. Our partnerships with other organizations provide workshops and training opportunities to gardeners throughout the year.

Community food program