DONOR IMPACT
This season’s community garden harvest at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial is more than a celebration of fresh, local produce — it’s proof that Food Is Medicine.
Supported by generous donors and community partners, the program provides Oncology patients and families with access to nutritious foods proven to improve health outcomes.
Research shows that healthy diets can lower blood pressure, improve diabetes control, and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Thanks to your philanthropic support, we’re transforming evidence into action — nurturing wellness from the ground up, one harvest at a time.
SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY GARDEN
PARTNERS & DONORS
Thank you to our donors, community partners, and corporate partners the Community Garden funding has helped bring the project to life:
Current funders include:
GARDEN MANAGERS
The Ingalls Foundation contracted with Derek Drake CEO and Brad Schiever CFO, owners of Ditto Foods Inc. and local farmers with deep knowledge in farming and hydroponic gardening. Derek is an educator, was born at Ingalls Hospital and has deep roots in the Chicago Southland.
With their care and diligence, the garden is thriving and yielded three harvests that have helped over 30 oncology patients.
GARDEN LOCATION
Currently the garden is located on the Ingalls Garage Rooftop with designs to move to a green space behind the parking garage in the Spring.
COMMUNITY NEED
The Community Garden is part of our Food is Medicine Program, which addresses access to healthy food (one of the Social Determinant’s of Health), is a challenge faced by our underserved population in the Chicago Southland. The program includes Pop up days with Dietetic Interns and Nutrition Stations to share food prep using garden produce. As the garden continues to grow (especially in the Spring) in partnership with the Dietetic program, the farmers plan on growing produce that is beneficial to oncology patients and those with diabetes. During the Pop-up events, patients and the community members learn about the benefits of fresh produce, organic growing, how to prepare the food through recipes shared by the Dietitians, and tips on managing the grocery budget.
Work Force Development: Teaching youth and adults how to grow nutritious foods in their back yard or balcony. Host education days for community members to learn about gardening or farming as a career.
Community Engagement: providing free produce to oncology patients and then expanding to partnering with Family Christian Health Center—to provide young moms with free produce, Restoration Ministries and others when we have overflow at harvest.
Volunteers: the goal of the Community Garden is to expand the program to hospital staff, community members especially partner organizations like Family Christian Health Center for volunteer members who would like to plant and harvest from the Garden. In the coming years to Include the medical Residents through UCM in the program to engage in the Community Garden program.
SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY GARDEN