Please join us in uplifting our 2024 fundraiser! Read for more information and some financial updates:
The Iglesias Gardens is a neighborhood project in West Kensington and a city-wide land security organizing project in Philadelphia. Started in 2012 when neighbors and organizers came together to transform vacant land into a collective garden and park space. We are a community hub within our neighborhood offering free biweekly food distribution, activities for children, building and gardening workshops, and three annual events honoring culture and arts. We work to raise awareness about the commodification of land in Philadelphia. Since 2019 we have advocated for the preservation of vacant land by lot stewards and pushed the city to grant community control of land rather than letting greedy developers destroy our neighborhoods.
Today we are launching our annual fundraiser to raise $10,000 for mutual aid efforts in the immediate neighborhood, community infrastructure projects in the Iglesias Garden space, and to sustain our programming in the neighborhood. You can donate through chuffed where we will provide updates!
In 2022 we became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization allowing us to access funding to support the acquisition of the lots that were in danger of being developed, to install a water line, and to help us hire 3 (very) part-time staff for the first time. In previous years, we have been able to fully fund infrastructure builds in our space, including an accessibility plaza by gaining financial support from the community at large. As we understand the capitalist nature of the non-profit industrial complex, we have remained discerning with who we receive money from and for what. We also understand unrestricted funding for mutual aid is limited or highly controlled. These funds will be used at the discretion of our core group of volunteers who are directly within the community we serve.
As we await a transition to the Trump administration, we know that we will need to step up to support those we love. We deeply believe that we take care of us. There is no doubt that the few resources available to working-class, Black, and immigrant communities will be drained. We also know that efforts against gentrification will be under increased scrutiny, as Philadelphia leadership has proven to value the profits of millionaires over that of the people.
Please join us through the end of the year and we raise money to support these vital efforts so we can go into 2025 with the support of many. Share this campaign with your networks and support generously! We will be adding some exciting events and merch as this campaign moves so please stay tuned.
If you’d like to donate another way or have an event in support of this campaign please contact us via e-mail! admin[at]iglesiasgarden[dot]com
Thank you!!
Cesar Andreú Iglesias Community Garden 