Baltimore GROW Centers

Baltimore GROW Centers (Green Resources & Outreach for Watersheds) are your neighborhood greening resource hubs, linking city residents, communities, and faith-based groups to plants, materials, and technical expertise for greening projects. Over the past two years we have provided free and/or low-cost trees, mulch, plants, and other materials, as well as free workshops on topics including community greening, vacant lot revitalization, installing rain gardens and rain barrels, environmental justice, and composting.

Funding for the GROW Center pop-ups, as well as the creation of a feasibility study and business plan, is provided in part by the USDA Forest Service. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

The GROW Center would not be able to function without our many partners, in particular,  TreeBaltimore and Camp Small, which provide the trees and mulch that we are able to give away for free. 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.    ,

GROW Center Pop-up at DPW’s Summer Shredding Event

Come out to Edmondson High School (501 N. Athol Street, 21229) where you can get your sensitive documents shredded AND get some free mulch and information on recycling, food waste reduction, and other ways to make your home and community greener and more beautiful. The event is from 8am – 12noon.

Spring 2022: A Busy Time for the GROW Center

May and April were busy months. Seven pop-up events across the city, as well as five workshops on home composting, pollinator gardens, and bee keeping. Thank you to our pop-up and workshop hosts:

• Middle Branch Park (in conjunction with a DPW Shred Event)
• Harwood Community Garden
• Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church
• Sisson Street Park
• Waverly Commons
• Pimlico Public Safety Training Center
• HARBEL Community Organization
• Filbert Street Garden
• Ellwood Park
• Strength 2 Love 2 Farm

Thank you as well to our many partners – DPW’s Office of Recycling, TreeBaltimore, Camp Small, MD Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, Office of Sustainability, BMore Beautiful, Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Department of Transportation.

A few numbers from the Spring 2022 GROW Center events:

• Approximately 540 people attended the pop-ups and workshops
• 100 trees were given away
• Seven truckloads of mulch were given away
• 25 compost bins were given away

Photos from the Spring 2022 pop-ups and workshops:

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