NSKS Gardens

NSKS: Growing a Healthier Community

NSKS began its community garden project in 2015 with the creation of raised beds on Quincy at Pearl Streets, adjacent to our soup kitchen and food pantry. In 2021 alone these small but mighty garden boxes yielded 229 pounds of produce and herbs, which we served in the soup kitchen or gave out via our food pantry.

Talk about fresh and nutritious!

NSKS: Growing a Healthier Community

NSKS began its community garden project in 2015 with the creation of raised beds on Quincy at Pearl Streets, adjacent to our soup kitchen and food pantry. In 2021 alone these small but mighty garden boxes yielded 229 pounds of produce and herbs, which we served in the soup kitchen or gave out via our food pantry.

Talk about fresh and nutritious!

100% Organic!

Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter prides itself on the efficacy and sustainability of its programs. Food for its clients comes from a variety of places including food rescue, donations, and the NSKS Organic Gardens.

Thank you to the 28 Fidelity employees that helped kick off our garden building on May 6, 2015. Many of them helped to build our raised beds along Quincy and East Pearl Street and in a few hours we went from looking at dirt surrounding our building to seeing beautiful Douglas Fir raised beds.

100% Organic!

Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter prides itself on the efficacy and sustainability of its programs. Food for its clients comes from a variety of places including food rescue, donations, and the NSKS Organic Gardens.

Thank you to the 28 Fidelity employees that helped kick off our garden building on May 6, 2015. Many of them helped to build our raised beds along Quincy and East Pearl Street and in a few hours we went from looking at dirt surrounding our building to seeing beautiful Douglas Fir raised beds.

From Garden to Table

In its first year the NSKS Organic Gardens employed the help of Green City Growers to get us up and running. During that year and since then, these gardens have been led by dedicated volunteers, most notably Dennis Roy and Fran Cannava. Dennis came to NSKS gardens as a novice gardener, teaching himself as he went and dedicating his time and efforts to feeding the families of Nashua fresh, healthy, locally grown produce. In his efforts he befriended and mentored longtime volunteer Fran. Together, in the three years the gardens have operated, these two dedicated individuals have produced over 1500 pounds of food to be distributed to those in need. NSKS is humbled and grateful to the dedication of Dennis and Fran and their efforts to better the lives of those around them.

We grew and picked over 336 pounds of produce and herbs in our new gardens in 2018. All of the produce was either served in the soup kitchen for dinner or given out to families coming through our food pantry. Talk about fresh and nutritious! Walking through the kitchen you could smell the fresh basil in the pasta. Last thing planted this year was some garlic that will come up when it gets warm again. That is unless the squirrels come and eat it first. We will be looking for some additional garden volunteers in the spring so give us a shout if you are interested.

Spring Street Community Gardens

In 2018 NSKS expanded its gardens initiative with the creation of the Spring Street Community Gardens on the lot adjacent to Citizens Bank. We undertook this project in partnership with Grow Nashua, an organization introducing urban vegetable farms in our city and schools and using this common ground to empower people to strengthen their own community. NSKS and Grow Nashua are working to reduce local hunger and provide Nashua citizens with the tools and education to become self-sufficient in their healthy eating. Families and individuals can sign up for a garden bed…
We’re very grateful to our dedicated volunteers for helping to keep the gardens growing. If you’d like to get involved, please contact Carol Weeks at carol@nsks.org or (603) 889-7770 ext 121

For more information on Grow Nashua, visit their website at www.grownashua.org