Projects

As an all-volunteer organization, a lot of what we do here starts from a simple idea or project. Learn about all the various types of projects that our volunteers have going on in our backyard!

Community Gardens

As part of our partnership with the Get Healthy Knox Coalition, we offer FREE gardening plots with five wheelchair-accessible plots available.

The individual plots available are raised 4x8' beds prefilled with purchased topsoil ready for the upcoming season. We also offer other gardening options and plot sizes to help support a diverse range of gardening needs.

Community Compost

Our composting program is volunteer-powered and operates to reduce organic waste disposed locally by recycling resources such as food scraps and yard waste into compost, a soil-like fertilizer packed with nutrients. We are partnered with some of the local businesses to collect their food scraps, which are then diverted from landfills and turned into compost. The compost we generate is used for local gardening projects, supporting a circular food system for Knox County. Volunteer with us to get involved in your community's compost and learn more! Volunteers participate in a range of activities such as picking up compost from our community partners and compost pile maintenance!

Community Compost

Compost Volunteering

Seed Library seed sorting

Seed Library

Come help us maintain our FREE seed library at the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County.

We get donated seeds and then re-sort them into smaller batches of seed envelopes. We then label, and catalog those seeds for all Knox county residents to use FOR FREE!

Help combat food insecurity, remove barriers to home gardening, and enjoy this opportunity to work on gardening even in the harshest weather conditions!

We meet in the multipurpose room in the lower level of the library, groups always welcome!

See our calendar for more information and to sign up directly!

SEED SORTING VOLUNTEER SIGN UP CALENDAR

Don't see a day/time that works for you?

Just email, call or text us to let us know what kind of times you need!

Mount Vernon Farmer's Market

During May through October, Community Roots participates as a vendor in the Mount Vernon Farmer's Market and sells fresh-baked artisan bread and any surplus Farm to School produce to directly help support our Farm to School programming expenses that are not supplied through our grant funding. Costs including utilities, support of our AmeriCorps VISTA ShareCorps members, and our local memberships.

Farmer's Markets are held on Saturdays at the square from 9-Noon

Volunteers help us set up, tear down, and run our vending table. We are required to have a minimum of two workers at our tables to reduce contact. Sign-up today to help us with our vendor's booth at the Saturday Markets!

Voluneer Here

Mount Vernon Farmers Market

MVHS Farm to School Garden

Mount Vernon High School Farm to School Garden

Community Roots has partnered with Mount Vernon High School to utilize their greenhouse space to grow fresh produce to be utilized in their kitchens. We are currently propagating microgreens, herbs, and vegetables for the school's kitchen and we are also able to offer a horticultural classroom setting for faculty and students.

If you are a teacher or student interested in working with us, we would love to see how we can connect you to the project!

Use the link below to find our calendar of workdays. and sign up directly!

Gardening Workdays Volunteer Calendar

Don't see a day/time that works for you?

Just email, call or text us to let us know what kind of times you need!

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Growing a Future

Growing a Future Mount Vernon Ohio

Partnered with the Municipal, Juvenile, and MERIT courts, we serve the needs of our community by working with probationers as a site for community service hours. Participants learn about land and greenhouse management skills, as well as plant propagation techniques for fresh produce.

Using grants from the Health Resources & Services Administration we have developed a program that provides service hours to support the food security needs of Knox County,

Help garden, build infrastructure, work the compst program all in ways that support probationer needs at flexible times.
Our programs are also designed to provide therapeutic outlets to support well-being goals including:

anger management

life skills

vocational skills

recovery journeys dealing with illness, injury, trauma & addiction

General Volunteering

Our volunteers are the ones who are able to bring Community Roots to life and help us continue our mission. We have opportunities for volunteers of all ages and interests. To learn more about our volunteers Click Here.