Friends of the Tenderloin People’s Garden

Across 14 years and several different managers, the Tenderloin People’s Garden has always been just that - stewarded by the people. Regardless of who was being paid to maintain TPG, community members and volunteers have returned week after week to tend the veggies and connect with each other and the land, steadfast in their care for the garden and their neighbors. Community stewardship of this space is not new, but it is vital.

In the absence of formal management since Fall 2023, community members and volunteers have continued to steward the garden, hold open hours, and share the harvest with neighbors.

Our goals are simple:

  1. to feed our neighbors and each other

  2. to maintain public access to one of the only green spaces in the TL

  3. to carry on the legacy of community stewardship that has sustained TPG since the beginning.

Who are the Friends of the Tenderloin People’s Garden?

We are a group of gardeners, creatives, change makers, and Tenderloin residents who believe in the power of connecting with the land and each other across our differences. We plant with the intention of honoring the needs and desires of those living in the heart of San Francisco; we also support the growth of the veggies, trees, and herbs that are already rooted here and share the food we harvest with our neighbors.

We steward this garden space ultimately to co-create the kind of world we want to live in; we are grounded in values of community care and nurturance. In maintaining continued public access to the land, countless souls are nourished, and refuge, sanctuary, and connection remain possible. For a neighborhood that knows all too well the impacts of poverty and neglect, we believe this garden is essential.

What does community stewardship look like?

Taking care of the land, together, and holding space for people to find purpose and healing through connecting to the earth and the plants residing in the garden.

Ongoing community conversations on how this garden can be responsive to the needs of those who live in this neighborhood and contribute to a more socially just city.

Decisions about stewardship tasks, materials, and learning opportunities are made collectively by all those that tend to the land and wish to be included.

What is our vision for the future?

We envision the garden as a bastion of community building and togetherness in the heart of the city. The way we care for the garden now encourages a sense of belonging and growth, and we hope that with continued enthusiastic stewardship, this garden will blossom into an epicenter for fostering community resilience. With a compost system in place currently, we envision similar continued efforts to reduce waste and cultivate abundance in the garden, in addition to new systems for collecting rainwater and recycling grey water for irrigation.

Why are community access and stewardship important?

Community members share what continued access to the Tenderloin People’s Garden means to them.

  • for community of the Tenderloin and SF as a whole. I have spent several mornings volunteering in the garden and have delighted in meeting others from the Tenderloin neighborhood and learning more about plants and healthy eating. Besides the opportunity of putting one’s hand in the dirt (recent research shows the micro-organisms in soil can help alleviate depression) and socializing with others, the fresh garden vegetable give-aways provide an important source of nutrition. The garden is my favorite area of the city. It’s beauty always lifts my mood whenever I pass by and continue my work in the Tenderloin. It would be a tragedy for the garden to be neglected. I urge you to ensure there is continued stewardship of the land and access to the garden. “

  • “As a resident in the neighborhood, I have found solace and inspiration in the oasis that is the Tenderloin People's Garden. In an area often overlooked and underserved, this garden stands as a testament to the beauty and unity that can flourish amidst challenging circumstances. The Tenderloin People's Garden isn't just a collection of plants; it's a symbol of peace and harmony in a neighborhood too often associated with chaos. Amidst the struggles with homelessness and crime that plague our community, this garden stands as a beacon of hope, showcasing the potential for transformation and renewal.

    For me, this garden is a haven—a place where I can escape the hustle and bustle of daily life in the Tenderloin and find a moment of tranquility. It's where I've witnessed the power of community coming together to cultivate something beautiful. It's a testament to resilience and the human spirit. The volunteering opportunities in the garden have been instrumental in strengthening the bonds within our neighborhood. Through shared experiences of planting, nurturing, and tending to the garden, we've forged connections that transcend the barriers of our diverse backgrounds and circumstances.

    I urge the City to prioritize the preservation and accessibility of the Tenderloin People's Garden. Let us continue to cultivate not only plants but also the sense of unity, peace, and resilience that this garden represents for our neighborhood.”

  • “… working with soil, and working to grow what we eat, an educational space where the community deserves, a space for community gathering, strengthening multiracial, multicultural, and multigenerational relationships, and healing from mental health and trauma. There are many people I have met in the garden who become my mentors, my friends, and my family. There are not many places like the TPG that exist in the city anymore as it gentrifies and grows.”

  • “When I learned about the closure of the garden I cried. I had been volunteering at the Garden for almost two years. The garden has been a place of refuge for me during a very difficult time in my life and helped me manage and heal myself. I made friends there and learned about gardening from the wonderful, knowledgeable Coordinators who made me feel welcome and appreciated. I looked forward to being in that rare special safe space in the heart of the gritty Civic Center, a rare place of calm, working with the plants and soil, nurturing the veggie beds which fed our neighbors.

    I witnessed the hard work and dedication of the staff and volunteers and the bounty of our labor- organic vegetables which we would distribute to our low-income neighbors in an area with little access to healthy food. I felt I had found a home away from home, a community of like minded people who wished to do something positive for their neighbors, who desperately needed a respite, a place to be a part of, a place to steal away to for a few hours or minutes of our chaotic, stressful lives. The Community and the Public need these places of hope and refuge now more than ever.”

  • “The folks at the garden were diverse in every way possible, and it was clear what a sanctuary TPG was. It is a healthy and fresh food source for many in the Tenderloin, which is a food desert with little access to healthy, affordable foods for residents; it is a place of peace for volunteers, workers, and community members; it is a place of communion where people can share knowledge of food cultivation and urban agriculture; it is a place to connect to land and our true nature, where so many in urban environments do not otherwise have to opportunity to do so; and it is a sacred place where folks feel safe and mentally well.”