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Soulful Seeds outlines community garden programs, workforce development and funding needs
Summary
The nonprofit Soulful Seeds told Sparks City Council it operates a 3‑acre garden in Sparks, produced over 6,000 pounds of produce in 2024, and runs workforce, recovery-friendly and same-day-pay programs; leaders said annual operating costs are about $600,000 and sought continued community and agency support.
Erstan (Erstan) Whidden and Kimberly Ese of Soulful Seeds presented the nonprofit’s community-garden programming to Sparks City Council on June 9, describing food distribution, workforce development and partnerships serving people experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable populations.
Whidden said Soulful Seeds operates about three acres at Glendale and Galletti on land owned by the state and subleased through Washoe County; the nonprofit subleases roughly three acres for $1 a year. He described a trajectory from a 1,000-square-foot garden to a principal site producing what staff said was “just over 6,000 pounds of produce” in 2024 and emphasized training and workforce-skills programming alongside food distribution.
Program coordinator Kimberly Ese detailed volunteer, education and workforce efforts: volunteer hours (2,400 in 2024, with 400 new volunteers that year), a “same-day work and pay” workforce program started in February that pays participants the same day for up to six hours of work and provides lunch, a state-recognized arborist apprenticeship tied to a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, garden-therapy and cooking classes for residents of the nearby Our Place transitional housing campus, and a planned mobile market program launching in July to serve residents who cannot reach the garden.
Ese said Soulful Seeds is becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace and is expanding partnerships with local service organizations, schools and youth programs. Whidden said the organization raises funds through donations, grants and pro-bono support; he said “our costs currently are ... about $600,000 for the year,” and that the USDA grant helps reimburse certain program expenses. The presenters encouraged council members to visit the garden and consider partnership or sponsorship opportunities.
Council members praised the program and offered to help connect Soulful Seeds with local schools and county partners. No council vote was required.
