North Coast Community Garden Collaborative (NCCGC)

Project Dates: 
2009 to 2021

Project Leads

Funding Organizations: 
Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services' CalFresh Outreach Project
Union Labor Health Foundation
St. Joseph Care for the Poor Initiative
AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) Program
Humboldt Community for Activity and Nutrition
Cooperating Agencies: 
Food for People
University of California Cooperative Extension
Open Door Community Health Centers
St. Joseph Community Resource Centers
Jefferson Project
Mattole Self Sufficiency Project
Community gardeners, volunteers, and residents

North Coast Community Garden Collaborative (NCCGC) formed in 2009 to be a support network of and for community gardeners and their partners, working together to increase access to fresh, healthy, and culturally appropriate foods for all North Coast residents. North Coast Community Garden Collaborative has two part time staff members through the Natural Resources Services division of Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA) with funding from the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services’ CalFresh Outreach Project. NCCGC is overseen by a volunteer Steering Committee with representatives from local community gardens, Food for People, University of California Cooperative Extension, Open Door Community Health Centers, Jefferson Community Center/Westside Community Improvement Association, and elected officials. Learn more below and by vising www.northcoastgardens.org or www.facebook.com/NorthCoastGardens.  

NCCGC aims to bolster autonomous sustainable gardens by connecting gardeners to resources such as:

  • Each other! So they may share strategies, seeds, tips, tools, and people power;
  • Best practices for creating and managing community garden spaces, and for growing healthy foods;
  • Material resources - NCCGC's broad network pools resources, enables bulk purchases, and builds sustainable mutually beneficial partnerships with local businesses, often serving as a "clearinghouse" for donations;
  • Tool lending library;
  • CalFresh benefits, formerly food stamps, which can be used to purchase seeds and starts for growing food; 
  • Local gardening and food programs and groups such as University of California Cooperative Extension, which offers Master Gardeners and Master Food Preservers programs; garden clubs, Humboldt Permaculture Guild; Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy Communities Division; Food for People; the Humboldt Gardening Collective; Mattole Self Sufficiency Project; and Transition Humboldt;
  • Local gardening experts including farmers, Master Gardeners and Food Preservers, and business owners;
  • A monthly online newsletter with garden news and local gardening events; 
  • A website with calendar of events, resources, and great links!