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 Events

DPW’s Fall GROW Center season will feature five pop-up events and six free workshops. Attend one of the upcoming activities and get some great resources to help with your greening projects. Free trees, mulch, seeds, and reusable shopping bags will be available, as well as information on stormwater fee credits, plant advice, recycling and composting, adopt-a-lot, and other ways to make your home and community greener, cleaner, and more resilient. First come, first serve while supplies last.

The following is the schedule for Grow Center events. Please note the times for each event. The workshops are FREE but require registration. In-person workshops have limited space availability. Compost workshop attendees will receive a compost bin, courtesy of DPW Bureau of Solid Waste.

September 17 (5:30 – 7pm): Composting Workshop at Madeira Street Garden (425 North Madeira St, 21231) Register HERE

October 1 (5:30 – 7pm): Composting Workshop @ Harlem Park Community Farm (1314 Harlem Ave, 21217) RegisterHERE

October 3 (5:30 – 7pm): Rain Barrel Workshop @ Baltimore Community ToolBank (1224 Wicomico Street, 21230) Register HERE

October 5 (9am – 12noon): Pop-up @ Mount Clare Memorial Garden with Southwest Partnership (203 S. Stricker St.)

October 8 (5:30 – 6:30pm): Virtual Workshop – How to Plant a Pollinator Garden Register HERE

October 10 (4 – 7pm): Pop-up @ Waverly Commons (418 E 32nd St, 21218)

October 15 (5:30 – 6:30 pm): Composting Workshop @ Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm (3811 Park Heights Ave, 21215) Register HERE

October 19 (8am – 12noon): Pop-up x SHRED Event @ Edmondson West High School (501 N Athol Ave, 21229)

October 22 (5 – 6:30 pm): Virtual Workshop – Greening Resources & Funding Register HERE

October 26 (9am – 12noon): Pop-up @ Little Eager Park with Milton-Montford Neighborhood Association (2408 E Eager St, 21205)

October 29 (5:30 – 7pm): Rain Barrel Workshop @ Baltimore Community ToolBank (1224 Wicomico Street, 21230) Register HERE

November 3 (8am – 12pm): Pop-up x DPW SHRED Event @ Pimlico Training Center (Manhattan Ave. & Clover Rd. 21215)

Below are some photos from this past Spring 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 two reports: 

• Department of Public Works report on the GROW Center 2018-2021
• Baltimore Office of Sustainability report on the 2016 pilot GROW Center  GROW Center Pilot Final Report.pdf

 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!