The GROW Center, which stands for Green Resources & Outreach for Watersheds, is a program of the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) that functions as a resource hub and connector with the goal of building community capacity to implement greening, stormwater management, waste reduction, and beautification projects. Through neighborhood pop-ups and community-based workshops, the GROW Center increases access to needed sources of free materials, including mulch, trees, and seeds, as well as educational workshops on topics such as composting, planting trees, organizing neighborhood projects, community cleanups, and gardening.

The GROW Center program would not be able to function without our many partners. Thank you to the Chesapeake Bay Trust, who has provided funding for the GROW Center pop-ups and workshops, and to TreeBaltimore and Camp Small for providing the trees and mulch we give away. Other partners include MD Cooperative Extension/Master Gardeners, Office of Sustainability, Office of Emergency Management, BMORE Beautiful, Department of Housing and Community Development, and the many communities where we have held pop-ups and workshops.

Fall 2024 GROW Center 

This past Fall was a fun and busy time for the GROW Center, with five pop-up events and six workshops held across the city. Workshop topics included home composting, rain barrel making, pollinator gardening, and greening resources and funding opportunities. A huge THANK YOU to our pop-up and workshop hosts: 

• Baltimore Community ToolBank 
• Harlem Park Community Farm 
• Milton-Montford Neighborhood Association 
• Plantation Park Heights
• Waverly Main Street 
• Southwest Partnership
• UMD Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners
• UMD Sea Grant Extension

We would also like to thank our many partners – DPW Office of Waste Diversion, DPW Community Liaisons, DPW BMore LOVE, TreeBaltimore, Camp Small, Office of Sustainability, City Health Department, BMORE Beautiful, Department of Transportation, Office of Emergency Management, Baltimore Tree Trust, Civic Works, and the Baltimore Climate Action Plan for providing resources and information that made our events successful. 

Over 300 people attended the Fall 2024 pop-ups and workshops. In-addition, the following free resources were provided: 

• 300+ people attended the pop-ups and workshops 
• 81 trees were given away 
• 4.5 truckloads of mulch were given away 
• 14 compost bins were given away 
• 25 rain barrels were given away

Below are some photos from this past Fall 2024

GROW Center New EV Cargo Van!

This Fall the GROW Center program unveiled its new van and logo! The van will allow DPW to better host pop-up events and workshops, giving the program more flexibility to serve communities throughout Baltimore. Plus, it is an EV van – part of the City’s efforts to have all of its fleet electric by 2030. Just another way that the GROW Center is helping Baltimore to be cleaner and greener!

Interested in what we have done so far? Check out the following  report: 

• Department of Public Works Impact Report Spring 2024

 If you have questions please contact Medina Caplis Tara by email here or at 443-934-7132.

A few photos from the GROW Center pop-ups and workshops!