a tomás o’grady non-profit
A garden in every Los Angeles School.
Every child in every school in this city ought to experience the joy of growing, harvesting, preparing and eating simple whole foods.
We are making that happen.
Our customer is the student.
Our goal is to raise a generation of food snobs and caring planet dwellers.
Folks who think twice about eating junk.
Latest
101 Schools. 70 Ranger Schools. 12 Interns. Thousands of volunteers. We are busy. We write about it daily.
Engage
You can volunteer or intern. You can do so once or once per week or every day. Every skill is appreciated.
Build
You are a school and need a garden? Let us begin. You are group and want to help build one? Let us begin.
Give
You are an idealist. You think learning ought to be fun. You think whole food almost a civil right. Your help can make the difference.
Garden ranger program
Our trained rangers visit each school weekly to deliver care and cheerful curriculum.
In good company
Your company team would like to help us build a garden. We make it happen. We ask you for a modest donation towards materials.
Video Shorts
One minute tours of our sites
Rangers
Meet our Garden Rangers.
Sites
101
Curriculum
Learn in the garden
Our Sites
Almost all of our gardens have the same core simple basic elements that not only make them appealing to our customer ( the student ) but make them safe, sustainable, accessible and easy to use. We do not use treated lumber. Redwood raised beds filled with 100% organic soil and irrigated by a controlled drip system ensure safety and sustainability. Redwood picnic tables, folding wooden tomato cages and chalkboards complete the outdoor classroom. Many have outdoor kitchens which include a simple washing sink draining to a dry well. Our larger gardens often include "rainwater capture" dry creeks. Scroll through below.
We have created 100+ gardens in 4 years.
How do we build and sustain at this pace?
Our attitude.
We behave as if we were a for-profit.
We work hard.
We work smart.