About Us
Our Story
Once, there were two girls in high school, Rebecca Lemos and Lola Bloom, who wanted to start a volunteer project in Columbia Heights as a way to deal with youth and gang violence, as well as other connected issues. We wanted to help our neighbors feel proud of where they lived, starting with the children and youth. In 2003, we took on the name City Blossoms and began teaching year-long workshops in schools, after school programs, and in summer camps. Today City Blossoms worked with over 3,000 children and youth all over the D.C. area.
The City Blossoms Model
City Blossoms is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to working with schools, neighborhood groups, community centers and other organizations to create spaces for children to use their creativity and combined strength and skills to learn how to grow and maintain fantastic yet functioning gardens.
Through much practice City Blossoms has developed a holistic model that uses gardening as a tool to interweave four concepts that can help participants become active stewards of their communities.
The Foundation to the City Blossoms holistic approach:
Who we’ve worked with:
Some Present Partners
- Capital Area Food Bank
- Capital City Public Charter School
- CentroNia, Pre-k Incentive Program, Headstart, Summer Camp
- Cleveland Bilingual Public Elementary School
- D.C. Bilingual Public Charter School
- Easter Public Senior High School
- E.L. Haynes Public Charter School
- Hardy Public Middle School
- Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School
- Nature Conservancy
- New Communities for Children
- Urban Village Apartments (Somerset Development)
Some Past Partners
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation
- Asian American Lead
- Beers Public Elementary School
- Community of Hope
- Growing Girls and Gardens & Garrison Public Middle School (Baltimore)
- Vietnamese American Community Service Center
Interested in starting a project with us? Contact Rebecca at rebecca@cityblossoms.org