April 2, 2025
We are so excited for this update!  Braving the wild spring weather here on the Palouse, the build teams from our local chapter of the Lions Club and Habitat for Humanity visited the Inland Oasis Center and built our planter boxes!  It took their intrepid crew most of the day, so they'll be back to build the benches, but we're so thankful for the work they put in.
We're one step closer to planting!
 
Did you know that the space that is currently the Inland Oasis Community Center used to be a doggy day care?  Because of this, we have a lovely paved, fenced in area that is full of potential.

In the spring of 2023, the West Side Food Pantry received a shipment of onions, one of which had sprouted.  Our ever-enterprising Executive Director, Janna Jones, put it in some soil in a bucket, and the idea of a container garden grew from there.

Using repurposed buckets, sinks, and an old desk, we were able to grow tomatoes, peas, garlic, and herbs that went straight to the shelves of the West Side Food Pantry, and into the bellies of our neighbors. 

Over 10% of all Idaho residents live in poverty, with 19% in Moscow alone (www.census.gov). In Latah County, a staggering 43% of the households are ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, www.unitedforalice.org). With the rising average cost of living, there is an obvious and immediate need for food banks and pantries.  The West Side Food Pantry serves over 2,000 individuals and distributes between 12,000 and 13,000 pounds of food per month, and by growing  produce on site, we can help our neighbors thrive by providing them with fresh, nutritious produce they might not otherwise have access to.

The container garden will not only benefit the West Side Food Pantry, it will also be a gathering space built with community in mind.  The garden will be constructed with integrated benches and tables, and since it will be on a paved lot with raised beds and wide pathways, we can ensure access for people using mobility aids.
We have been working with Diamond Fields, a local carpenter, and Madalyn Asker, a professor at the University of Idaho College of Art and Architecture, to design the structures for the garden.  Once we have received enough funding, we will continue to work with them to ensure the garden space is built for efficiency, community, and longevity.