About the Garden
In 2010, the Tenderloin People’s Garden (TPG) was created by tenants, neighbors, and community members who transformed the vacant lot at the corner of Larkin and McAllister into a lush garden growing fresh, free produce, herbs, and native plants. Originally a project of the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, the garden has always been stewarded by volunteers and community members. In the absence of formal management since Fall 2023, neighbors and volunteers have continued to hold open hours, ensuring that the community continues to have access to the fresh produce and the peaceful, green oasis within TPG.
The Tenderloin is a dense, culturally-rich neighborhood in the heart of San Francisco— and the only neighborhood in the city with no full-service grocery store for its 30,000 residents, many of whom are experiencing housing insecurity, poverty, and structural barriers in access to food and well-being. In the midst of a food desert, the Tenderloin People’s Garden provides fresh produce for free each week, directly contributing to food security and sovereignty in the TL. Further, TPG is one of the few “community gardens” in San Francisco that is truly accessible to the public, rather than being a collection of individually-accessed plots, sometimes with years-long waitlists. This means that every Saturday, any and all are welcome to share the harvest and help plant new seeds.
Between late October and mid February, approximately 275 pounds of fresh produce have been harvested and distributed to approx. 245 households. The garden has hosted 270 volunteer interactions and 265 visitor interactions in the same period.
As of mid-February, TPG is growing: chard, cabbage, Chinese mustard greens, tree collards, mizuna, celery, Vietnamese coriander, borage, nasturtiums, thyme, yarrow, dill, sweet peas, radishes, fava beans, marigolds, kale, onions, lettuce, lemons, pineapple guavas, several native flowers, pollinator plants, and herbs. We’re getting ready to plant for Spring! Come join us.
Visit Us
All are welcome!
324 Larkin Street, San Francisco
Northeast corner of Civic Center
Hours
Every Saturday
10am - 1pm