Tips for starting your own Corporate Giving Garden.

1. The ultimate onsite
volunteer project.
Grow a garden.
Get some exercise, fresh air and a little Zen by planting a corporate
garden and donating produce to a local shelter or food shelf.
Seeding an idea
Get started now
In 2007, a trio of employees at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota sought
➜➜ Plan
permission to dig up a section of lawn around the corporate headquarters,
➜➜ Who, what, when, where and putting their green thumbs to use and starting a garden. But this was no
how ordinary garden. These employees created a “Community Giving Garden” on
➜➜ Determine location — Blue Cross’ property to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for a local shelter and
Corporate lawn, planters, food shelf.
raised beds
The Community Giving Garden has been the catalyst for a network of more
➜➜ Find a recipient — Food shelf,
shelter, social service agency than 15 corporate giving gardens across the Twin Cities, demonstrating
innovation in serving our community. Leveraging employee talent and support
➜➜ Get corporate backing —
Present plan to your leadership for access to healthy food, the giving garden is a great way to engage employees
highlighting benefits to the while meeting community needs.
company
➜➜ Enlist support from Facilities Planting basics
— Maintenance, watering, pest ➜➜ Volunteers, the garden’s most important ingredient. Start with a small,
control, logistics dependable group and build. Your garden will grow in direct proportion to
➜➜ Recruit employees — Volunteer volunteer involvement.
council, wellness group, known ➜➜ Crops. Think ease of maintenance, volume of produce, location, weather and
gardeners
growing season. Involve your recipient organization in the planning.
➜➜ Water and irrigation plan. Use existing resources.
➜➜ Pests. Build a rabbit fence. Research organic pest control methods.
➜➜ Funding. Corporate support or donations from volunteers? What is the
budget?
➜➜ Mentors. Check with your county’s Master Gardener Program or Agricultural
Extension Service.

2. Sharing the bounty Our garden crops
A key to your corporate garden’s success is communications. Internally, you can Peas
build an e-mail list or use a corporate database if available to share frequent
Spinach
garden updates with gardeners, management and the broader employee base.
Kohlrabi
For external audiences, create a blog or website if it’s within your company
Brussels Sprouts
policies. Keep the corporate communications department apprised of photo
opportunities, garden milestones and produce deliveries to share with local Kale
news media. Rainbow Chard
Potato
Build a relationship with your receiving organization that goes beyond the
Lettuce
garden. Learn what they need in addition to vegetables. You’ll find that your
volunteers will get involved in more than the garden. Also consider identifying
Parsley/Basil/Rosemary
additional organizations that could accept produce — your harvest may be Radishes
greater than you anticipated. Cucumber
Beans
Growing benefits Eggplant
➜➜ Encourage physical activity among employees Okra
➜➜ Support healthy eating and wellness initiatives Cabbage
➜➜ Connect with co-workers Onion
➜➜ Reduce company’s carbon footprint Carrot
Mixed Pepper
➜➜ Connect in the community
Green Pepper
Tomato
Walking Onion/Sage
Adopting a crop includes the following:
Oregano/Chives
➜➜ Planting the seeds
Thyme/Oregano
➜➜ Thinning Dill/Cilantro
➜➜ Weeding Strawberry Patch
➜➜ Harvesting Beets
• Pick Watermelon
Pumpkin
• Rinse
Winter Squash
• Bag for delivery
Muskmelon/Cantaloupe
Time commitment is 15-45 minutes a week for each row. Summer Squash
Asparagus
Raspberry Bushes
Rhubarb
A HEALTHIER TOMORROW STARTS TODAY.
Visit givinggarden.blogspot.com, call (651) 662-0042 or e-mail
Heart_of_Blue_Volunteer_Council@bluecrossmn.com with questions.
Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® of Minnesota is a nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
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