Planting seeds today | Growing healthier communities for tomorrow

Help us inspire the next generation.


GrowingGreat is a non-profit organization that provides a wide range of programs for school garden and nutrition education. Our dedicated staff trains over 150 volunteers per year to deliver our programs, and we work within schools, homes, and communities.

Our efforts create a collaborative environment that helps our children and communities reconnect with healthy food and make lifelong lifestyle changes.

Our History

Founded by Marika Bergsund in 1999, GrowingGreat started as a single demonstration garden in one elementary school in the Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD). The goal of the program then, as it is today, was to inspire the next generation to make healthier decisions regarding food and nutrition and to create lasting change within our communities and environment.

With a $50,000 grant from the California Department of Education, by 2001 Bergsund had expanded the program to include gardens at all five MBUSD elementary schools, a Farm-to-School Harvest of the Month tasting program, and helped the district develop a nutrition education program delivered by physical education specialists.

Bergsund recruited Peggy Curry and Lori Sherman, renowned local nutrition experts, to expand the GrowingGreat program in 2004. Originally focused on improving the quality of school food service, the team faced many political roadblocks and quickly recognized that they would have a greater impact by educating students, parents, and communities about the importance of choosing high quality foods and the associated health benefits.

These leaders then developed a comprehensive, standards-based classroom nutrition program for grades three through five, which they launched in all five MBUSD elementary schools in 2004. GrowingGreat received 501(c)3 status in 2006 and operated entirely via volunteer support until 2007, when we hired our first full-time Executive Director.
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The Problems We Address

For the first time in our nation’s history, the next generation may have a shorter life span than their parents due to poor nutrition.

With a rising obesity epidemic and skyrocketing health care costs, the need to educate children and their families about nutrition and high quality foods is more important than ever.

Here are some interesting insights that illuminate the seriousness of these problems.

  • In L.A. County, 40% of Latino, 34% of African American, and 23% of white children are overweight or obese.
  • According to the United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ Quality of Life in Los Angeles 2007 report:
  • 26% of poor youth in L.A. County are overweight or obese.
  • 90% of diabetic L.A. residents were classified as having Type II diabetes, which is largely preventable via diet and exercise.
  • Quality of Life in Los Angeles 2008 reported that: “Obesity among both adults and youth has been on the rise and remains an area for great concern because of its relationship to other related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.”
  • The prevalence of Type II diabetes among children has increased ten-fold in the last five years.
  • If this trends in obesity continue, one in three children born in 2000 will develop Type II diabetes at some point in their lives.
  • Children who view television advertisements for fast food chains are 50% more likely to eat fast food.
  • A recent study found that 34% of food ads targeting children were for candy and snacks, 28% for cereal, and 10% for fast food.
  • The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that more than $10 billion is spent per year on direct marketing to children, who are exposed to 40,000 candy, cereal, soda, and fast-food ads annually.
  • Less than five percent of that advertising is for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Numerous studies have shown that school-based garden and nutrition education initiatives positively impact the adoption of healthy eating habits. We believe that empowering children and adults with the knowledge to make healthier food choices is critical to improving our health and environment.
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Our Philosophy & School Benefits

Our philosophy espouses a multitude of healthy, sustainable, and easy-to-implement directives:

  • Eat a wide variety of colorful, whole foods that are close to their original source.
  • Choose higher quality, beneficial foods more often.
  • Select local, seasonal, organic, and/or sustainably farmed foods when possible.
  • Appreciate the impact of food on our overall well-being so that we can think, feel, and perform at our best all day long!

Why GrowingGreat is perfect for schools:

  • Low Cost
  • We are extremely cost effective and sustainable for any school.
  • No Teacher Involvement
  • We train parent and community volunteers, as well as paid docents, to deliver our standards-based nutrition and garden curriculum.
  • Adaptability For Any Environment
  • Our garden and nutrition lessons can be adapted to any environment regardless of space or resources.
  • Standards-Based and Tied-to-Core Curriculum
  • All of our lessons are California standards-based and tied to the core curriculum of each grade level (and can be modified for other states).

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Our Success

Our organization has reached over 30,000 students and families since its inception and Marika Bergsund, our founder, now is a recognized expert and early pioneer in school garden programs.

We currently serve over seven school districts, 21 schools, and 8,000 students in Los Angeles County, with additional programs in Marin City and Ojai, CA, and Oahu, Hawai’i. Our annual Healthy Living Festival attracted 4,000 attendants in 2009 and is scheduled to take place on May 16, 2010 in Manhattan Beach, CA.

The success of GrowingGreat is a testament to our hard working volunteers and program coordinators. It also reinforces the importance of educating the next generation about healthy nutrition and the impact that such work can have on our collective well-being.
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Your Help Makes It Possible

We are entirely supported by grants, donations, and sponsored community events. With your help, we can extend our reach and provide our programs to more schools and communities. We are a registered 501(c)3 non-profit corporation and all donations are tax deductible.

Contact us and learn how you can inspire the next generation to eat well and grow great!
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