Summer continues to be in full swing at The Commons. This season has been busy and exciting, with plants flourishing on the farm, new and returning college interns leading projects and mentoring high school students, and the SWF team welcoming a steady stream of daily visitors.
Throughout the summer, The Commons has continued to be a healing and peaceful place where local residents spend time and enjoy the harvests of the season. The reach of SWF’s work of regenerative neighborhood development has continued to expand across the globe: from Chicagoans and tourists at the Taste of Chicago, to connections with conscious citizens who have visited from countries like Colombia and India. This issue shares stories from events that took place in July, and what’s in store for August. We hope to see you at The Commons soon!
Spread the Love- Show Your Support for Sweet Water Foundation
REGENERATIVE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION
Sweet Water Stories
Urban Ecology Teen Collaboration at The Commons
SWF Featured at the Taste of Chicago
Farm-To-Table For All at The Commons
PEOPLE
Humans of Sweet Water
Meet Kim Sherobbi...Kim is a native “Detroiter” on the Board of Directors of the James and Grace Lee Boggs Center, an SWF partner organization in Detroit that aims to help grassroots activists develop into visionary leaders. Her relationship with Sweet Water Foundation began in 2011 and has been growing ever since. We are excited to highlight Kim’s work as we collectively work towards tackling this country’s most pressing systemic problems.
Check out this video from our First Annual Juneteenth @ The Commons
EVENTS
What's Happening at the Commons?
PERRY AVENUE COMMUNITY FARMERS' MARKET
EVERY FRIDAY from 10 am - 3 pm. Harvest season is here! The weekly farmers' market at Perry Ave Commons will run Come get fresh, local and community-grown produce. Bring a bag.
AUGUST VOLUNTEER DAY @ THE COMMONS
On Saturday, August 25th, come out to help GROW the neighborhood! Roll up your sleeves and help with clean up, flower planting, weeding, organization, and more. RSVP Required.Click here to register.
Volunteers should wear comfortable clothing and closed-toed shoes and bring a water bottle and sun protection. Please note: This event will be canceled in the event of heavy rain. We will contact all registered volunteers to update on the status of the volunteer day.
RADICAL [RE]CONSTRUCTION OF VALUES: WORKSHOP - FOOD + HEALTH
We invite you to join us for the next workshop of a year-long series of gatherings and events that seek to catalyze the Radical [Re]Construction of Chicago's South side. At this session, you will engage in action-oriented dialogue through which we will collectively reflect on our current state and begin to articulate the values and actions required to realize our vision of reconstruction.
Light breakfast, coffee, and lunch will be provided. Arts and crafts activities will be available for children. RSVP Required.Click here to register.
RADICAL [RE]CONSTRUCTIONS: EXHIBIT @ THE SMART MUSEUM
The Radical [Re]Constructions exhibit will connect the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago to Sweet Water Foundation's Perry Avenue Commons. The installation features a large, three-dimensional representation of a house, set against the Museum’s central lobby wall and constructed from salvaged materials including wood that SWF apprentices finished with the traditional Japanese shou sugi ban charring technique. The Smart Museum is free and open to the public. For museum hours and directions, click here.
RECIPES
Kale & Potato Hash Recipe
There's nothing like potatoes after a day out in the sun. Luckily, our gardens have heaps of them! Potatoes are a great source of energy, and are rich with potassium, vitamin B, and C. There are several ways to enjoy a well-cooked potato; EatingWell's test kitchen has a unique recipe that combines potatoes with some nutritious kale to create a delicious kale & potato hash. Click here to try out their recipe.
Got Rain Barrels?
Help us reduce our water usage buy donating an unused rain barrel and/or purchasing a new rain barrel. Click the image above to purchase the best priced rain barrels, as recommended by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.
