Nature's Path Organic Foods](https://naturespath.com/) has named 15 recipients for its 2026 Gardens for Good: Plant It Forward™ program, distributing $45,000 in grants — $3,000 per organization — to community gardens and urban farming initiatives across North America. The announcement marks the 16th consecutive year the independent organic food brand has run the program, which has now surpassed $1 million awarded to nearly 150 gardens since its 2010 launch.
Who's Getting the Grants
This year's cohort includes 10 U.S.-based nonprofits and five Canadian organizations, spanning a range of models: urban farms, school-based growing programs, food sovereignty projects, and gardens specifically serving underrepresented and underserved populations. U.S. recipients range from Groundwork Somerville in Massachusetts and the Garden School Foundation in Los Angeles to Freedom Org in Tarboro, North Carolina, and the Philly Goat Project in Philadelphia. Canadian recipients include FortWhyte Alive in Winnipeg, Toronto Green Community, and the Chilliwack Bowls of Hope Society in British Columbia.
The diversity of the recipient list reflects what the program is designed to surface: locally led initiatives addressing food insecurity through organic growing practices, soil health, and community education. "Real change begins from the ground up when communities are empowered to grow their own food," said Jyoti Stephens, Vice President of Mission and Strategy at Nature's Path. "The 2026 Gardens for Good winners represent the true spirit of grassroots resilience — turning local soil into centers of health, connection and long-term food security."
Relevance for the Food Industry
For foodservice operators and food industry professionals, corporate-funded community food programs like Gardens for Good are increasingly relevant as food access and sustainability intersect with supply chain strategy. Organic community gardens directly support the kind of hyperlocal sourcing and food-systems literacy that many independent restaurants and hospitality groups are working to cultivate among their customer base and supplier networks.
Nature's Path — a privately held, family-owned company founded in 1985 and headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia — markets its products in more than 50 countries. Its portfolio of organic breakfast and snack brands, including EnviroKidz®, Love Crunch®, and Qi'a®, are sold through grocery and natural food retail channels. The Gardens for Good program represents the company's longest-running community investment initiative and sits alongside its Regenerative Organic Certified and Non-GMO Project Verified commitments.
As organic and regenerative food sourcing continues to gain traction among both foodservice buyers and retail consumers, initiatives that build grassroots capacity for organic growing may carry growing strategic relevance beyond brand goodwill. Full details on the 2026 recipients are available at naturespath.com/pages/gardens-for-good.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
