TERRE HAUTE – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority today announced a partnership with reTHink to form a community garden to serve the Terre Haute community.
ReTHink, Inc. is a non-profit that works to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills through zero-waste shopping, community gardens, and plastic up-cycling. ReTHink is working in the Ryves neighborhood to establish gardens that grow fresh produce for the community. They currently have six community gardens.
“This project is a great example of a community leader seeing a need and finding a solution,” Crouch said. “CreatINg Places is a great program through IHCDA for Hoosiers to come together for a cause that benefits the community.”
If the project “Community Rocks Vegetable Garden” reaches its goal of raising $5,000 by Aug. 30, Terre Haute residents will have increased access to locally grown foods. If successful, the project led by reTHink, Inc. will receive a matching grant as part of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s (IHCDA) CreatINg Places program.
“Funds from this campaign will be used to help in creating a vibrant Ryves Neighborhood by painting 15 big boulders with happy vegetable cartoons, emojis, seating and park benches, high raised beds for accessibility, and a mural,” said Dr. Shikha Bhattacharyya, executive director for reTHink, Inc. “This will bring joy and vitality to a neighborhood that has been ill famous for blight and poverty.”
The CreatINg Places program began in 2016, projects have raised more than $5.4 million in public funds and an additional $4.4 million in matching IHCDA funds.
Eligible projects must have a minimum total development cost of $10,000, where the recipient will receive $5,000 in IHCDA matching funds should it successfully raise $5,000 through Patronicity. IHCDA will provide matching grant funds up to $50,000 per project.
The CreatINg Places program is available to projects located in Indiana communities. Non-profit entities (with 501c3 or 501c4 status) and Local Units of Government are eligible to apply.
