DUG’s Grow a Garden program launches to offer thousands of Denverites access to fresh and healthy growing kits.

For 29 years, Denver Urban Gardens has worked with local partners and vendors to create customized themed kits for gardening on the Colorado Front Range. DUG’s Grow a Garden program removes those barriers with ready-to-grow kits that include seeds, seedlings, and guidance. Offered on a pay-what-you-can model, this program helps thousands of Coloradans turn a patch of land—or even a few pots—into nourishment, savings, and self-reliance.

“What I plant is going to grow. It gives me a sense of hope in myself. If you do stuff right, the plant is going to live; if you respect people, stuff will work.” – Grow a Garden Participant

In 2025, 18,504 community members we served through our 2,000 Grow a Garden kits. Of our participants, 88% identified as low-income and the majority of participants accessed the program at a reduced or free cost. The impact doesn’t end there – from the kits, we estimated that over 83,550 pounds of food were grown last season. That’s about the size of a blue whale!

In 2026, DUG is offering five (5) themed garden kits which feature seeds and seedlings that grow well together in our dry climate and clay-based soil. Plus, they include educational resources like our bilingual Organic Growing Guide. After several iterations and continual shifts, we are offering the following kits: Salsa Garden Kit, Epic Salad Garden Kit, Pizza Garden Kit, Fry & Ferment Garden Kit, and Stiry Fry Garden Kit. DUG’s Grow a Garden program is ideal for beginner gardeners. We include all of the information to support any Denverite who wants to garden in their home or in a community garden.

Visit our website and complete the order form for May pickup.

Meet Anyssa, DUG’s Bilingual Food Sovereignty Manager.

Anyssa joined Denver Urban Gardens with a deep appreciation for community-based agriculture and the role healthy soil plays in building resilient food systems. They earned a Bachelor’s degree in Innovation and Organizational Management with a minor in Spanish from Colorado State University, along with a Project Management certification. They also hold a Master’s degree in Food Security and Development from the University of Reading, where they focused on the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of food access. They are currently working toward a Colorado Gardening Certificate through CSU Extension.

Their interest in agriculture took root while living and working in Honduras, where they supported efforts to develop financially sustainable, closed-loop agricultural systems. That experience shaped their belief in nutrient cycling, soil health, and regenerative practices as essential tools for long-term food security. At DUG, they are excited to support gardeners and communities in growing food while strengthening ecological and social connections.

Outside of work, Anyssa enjoys milling their own flour, baking sourdough bread, and making as much as possible from scratch. They live with their partner, Lanka, two dogs named Critter and Zuzu, a cat called Lady Cat Meow Meow, and six chickens. They love hiking, snowboarding, traveling, playing volleyball, and occasionally carving marble just for fun. Their long-term dream is to build a homestead that actively contributes to environmental sustainability.

Fun fact: Anyssa has lived in four other countries outside of the U.S.

Meet Allison, urban homegrower and generous community steward.

This February, in honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re highlighting a few incredible community members who ensure DUG stays vibrant and people-centered. We reached out to Allison, long-time Sustaining Steward (aka monthly donor) and gardener, to get to know a little more about them.

Note: this interview has been edited and condensed for clarity

As spring approaches and the gardening season stirs to life, DUG is sowing seeds of inspiration with a fresh lineup of workshops designed to uplift both new and seasoned gardeners across the Denver metro area. With hands-on learning, community connection, and practical skills at the heart of every class, DUG’s workshops continue to cultivate resilient, joyful, and inclusive spaces where all gardeners can grow.

Whether you’re looking to expand your knowledge of organic gardening, explore your creative connection to nature, or learn specialized skills for community impact, 2026 brings something for everyone. Below, we highlight a few standout offerings you won’t want to miss.

We wanted to wish you and yours a happy holiday season!

We hope the next few weeks are filled with plenty of rest, immense joy, and delicious meals shared in community. We’ll see you next season for free seeds, educational workshops, and volunteer workdays.

But, until then, we recommend you mimic nature and rest. 

With gratitude,
The DUG Team

Grow with intention, share with purpose, AND HELP OUR COMMUNITY flourish

Are you dreaming of growing hundreds of healthy seedlings—not just for your own garden, but to support community gardens, seed shares, or local food access programs? DUG has two exciting opportunities to help turn that dream into reality, right at the start of the new year.

Whether you’re just getting started or ready to scale up your growing operations with expert guidance, there’s something for you.

Seed Starting for Community Distribution

Date: January 15, 2026 | Time: 6:00–8:00 PM | Location: Posner Center for International Development

Kick off the new year by taking your seed starting skills to the next level. This hands-on workshop focuses on strategies and tools for producing hundreds of seedlings for community distribution—perfect for neighborhood gardens, plant sales, or collaborative growing projects.

In this workshop, you’ll learn:

• Step-by-step guidance from experienced community grower Jody Beck

• Best practices for equipment setup, timing, and organization

• Insider tips on scaling germination to transplanting

• How to support local food access and community resilience

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE

Organic seed starting mentorship program

Application Deadline: January 20, 2026 | Cost: $0

For gardeners ready to take their skills further, the Organic Seed Starting Mentorship Program offers season-long, hands-on coaching in producing organic seedlings at scale. Led by Jody Beck, this mentorship is designed for gardeners who want ongoing support and guidance throughout the spring season.

Mentorship highlights:

• Personalized coaching on seed starting systems and workflow

• Guidance on managing trays, lights, soil mixes, and timing

• Regular check-ins and troubleshooting

• Support from a community of fellow growers

This program is free but limited to a small cohort of participants. Applicants should have indoor space for seed starting, outdoor space for hardening off seedlings, and a commitment to caring for their plants.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY HERE

WHY IT MATTERS

Learning to start seedlings at scale is more than a gardening skill—it’s a way to strengthen community food systems, support local access to fresh plants, and foster collaboration. DUG’s workshops and mentorships equip gardeners with practical tools and meaningful opportunities to contribute to Denver’s resilient growing community.

Whether you’re looking for a hands-on workshop experience or a season-long mentorship, January is the perfect time to plant the seeds for community impact.

As the year draws to a close and many of us reflect on what we’re thankful for, it’s a powerful moment to turn gratitude into intention. For long-term change and community resilience, one of the most impactful ways to give is through an end-of-year gift — especially when that gift supports the legacy and future of a cause you believe in.

That’s why the end-of-year season is a perfect time to consider supporting DUG’s endowment fund.

What Is an Endowment — and Why Does It Matter for DUG?

An endowment is a special type of fund in which donations are invested rather than spent immediately. The principal remains intact and invested, while a portion of the returns — usually a modest percentage each year — becomes a steady source of income.

For nonprofits, this model offers stability and long-term sustainability. Rather than relying solely on yearly donations or volatile grant cycles, an endowment acts as a financial foundation that helps weather economic ups and downs, and ensures programs endure even when budgets tighten.

That’s exactly why DUG has launched its own endowment fund — to build deep roots that support gardens, food access, community, and resilience over decades, not just seasons.

Why End-of-Year Giving Matters

• You can create lasting impact. A gift to the endowment doesn’t just help today. It grows and supports DUG’s mission into the future, enabling community gardens, food-equity programs, education, and green-space stewardship for years to come.

• It complements annual giving. Endowment gifts don’t replace the importance of annual or monthly donations — they strengthen and stabilize DUG’s financial base so that operational programs and initiatives can continue even in challenging times.

• It’s thoughtful and forward-looking. At the end of the year — when many of us reflect on legacy, community, and the coming year — a gift to the endowment is a deliberate way to show dedication to DUG’s values of food justice, green-space equity, and neighborhood health.

• It helps DUG plan far in advance. With stable endowment income, DUG can confidently plan multi-year initiatives — from building new gardens to expanding community outreach — knowing they’ll have reliable support.

What a Gift to DUG’s Endowment Enables

By giving to DUG’s Endowment Fund, you help make possible:

• The creation and maintenance of community gardens and food forests across Denver — even in neighborhoods with limited resources.

• Long-term support for educational efforts: teaching people of all ages how to garden, compost, grow healthy food, and build community.

• A stable backbone for food-equity and community programs: ensuring access to fresh, nourishing food and green space for those who need it most.

• Sustained resilience, even during uncertain economic times — because the endowment keeps working year after year.

How You Can Give — Today or Before Year’s End

If you believe in DUG’s mission of cultivating healthy, connected, climate-resilient communities — and you want to help ensure that mission lasts — consider making an end-of-year gift to DUG’s Endowment Fund.

You can give at https://dug.org/give/
Or directly to the endowment campaign at https://give.dug.org/campaign/703882/donate

End-of-year giving isn’t just about generosity in a season — it’s about planting seeds for the future. Your donation to DUG’s endowment is a gift that keeps giving: nourishing communities, strengthening food access, creating green spaces, and supporting connection and belonging for generations.

Thank you for considering a meaningful way to close out this year — and help cultivate a more sustainable, equitable, and flourishing Denver for years to come.

As the holiday season draws near, we at Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) are filled with excitement — because December 9 is almost here. That’s when Colorado comes together for Colorado Gives Day, a powerful statewide celebration of generosity and community support.

We believe this year, more than ever, offers a meaningful opportunity. Here’s why we hope you’ll join us — and what you’ll be helping build.

What Is Colorado Gives Day — And Why It Matters

• Colorado Gives Day is a once-a-year giving event (with early giving beginning November 1) that lets you support your favorite local nonprofits — including DUG — through one trusted platform: Colorado Gives Foundation.

• One of the biggest benefits? Every donation made between now and December 9 is boosted by a $1 million+ Incentive Fund — meaning your dollars go even further.

• New monthly donations during this period are also eligible for a matching-gift benefit — offering an even greater return on generosity.

For those reasons and more, Colorado Gives Day has become one of the most impactful days of the year for nonprofits across Colorado.

What’s New at DUG — Building Gardens That Grow Community

This year, we’re especially proud to highlight some of our newest garden projects — spaces that will bring fresh food, green space, and community connection to Denver neighborhoods.

• Crumbly Park Community Garden & Food Forest — a brand new community green space designed to bring locally grown produce and nature-based connection within easy reach of families and neighbors.

• Martinez Park Community Garden & Food Forest — another exciting build that reflects DUG’s mission to expand access to healthy food and green-space equity across our city.

• Denargo Market Community Garden — a fresh addition to our network of community gardens, offering yet another place for neighbors to grow food, build relationships, and reclaim open ground for everyone.

These aren’t just gardens — they’re investments in neighborhoods, in environmental resilience, in food equity, and in belonging.

Why Your Colorado Gives Day Gift Matters More Than Ever

When you donate to DUG through Colorado Gives Day, you’re doing more than supporting operations — you’re helping lay the foundation for long-term community strength. Your gift helps:

• Complete and sustain these new garden builds — making sure they’re properly developed, well-maintained, and open for all to use.

• Support educational programming and harness the power of food forests — helping community members learn gardening, stewardship, nutrition, and sustainable land use.

• Expand food access and food justice — ensuring fresh, locally grown produce is available in neighborhoods that need it, and fostering resilience in uncertain times.

• Grow more green, equitable, and connected neighborhoods — building not only gardens, but relationships, care, and community ownership.

How to Give — and Be Part of Something Growing

If you believe in the power of community, in the promise of food justice, in the beauty of green, shared outdoor spaces — now is the time to give.

Donate to DUG on Colorado Gives Day at https://coloradogives.org/organization/DUG

Your gift — whether big or small — will be amplified by the Incentive Fund, helping us bring Crumbly Park, Martinez Park, Denargo Market, and more into full bloom.

A Season of Giving, Growth, and Gratitude

This holiday season, let’s celebrate not just what we have — but what we can build, together. Every garden we plant is a seed of hope. Every donation is a step toward a healthier, more just, more vibrant Denver.

Thank you for being part of the DUG community. Thank you for helping us grow.