Grand Rapids nonprofit plants seeds of hope with new urban fruit orchard

Deborah Johnson Wood

Gilda's Club Grand Rapids has planted seeds of hope for cancer sufferers and their families for many years, and in a couple of years, those efforts will bear fruit – literally.

Thanks to the online votes of supporters, the club was one of 25 nonprofits nationwide selected as winners of Communities Take Root, a national contest sponsored by Edy's Fruit Bars and The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. The prize was a fruit orchard – 10 peach trees, 10 apple trees and 10 blueberry bushes – which volunteers planted this week on the Gilda's Club grounds, a six-plus-acre former farm at 1806 Bridge St. NW.

"We have a little grove of mature pear trees, and behind them there was a nice open orchard area and that's where we put the 20 other fruit trees," says John Brott, buildings and grounds manager.

"We're putting in a huge healing garden, and we're putting the blueberries near it," he says. "In part of the healing garden are some older cherry trees that produce beautiful cherries. This spring we'll add 10 raspberry bushes."

Brott says a peach orchard used to be on the property, so it's fitting that peach trees were included in the award.

Gilda's Club serves dinner every night and snacks every morning and afternoon for members and visitors who come for a variety of programs. Volunteers and members pick the fruit and turn it into nutritious meals and snacks. Brott expects the new fruit trees to bear fruit for picking in about two years.

"Everything we do here is organic. The trees put out a healthier amount of oxygen and will help nourish the people here," Brott says. "Anyone in Grand Rapids can come here and experience nature in a very natural setting and it costs them nothing to come here. I think that's one of the best gifts we can offer Grand Rapids."

Brott says Gilda's Club Grand Rapids serves some 15,000 people each year, and every program is free.

Source: John Brott, Gilda's Club Grand Rapids

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].