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 works with over 800 children and youth in eight different gardens (about a total 40,000 square feet).

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:

• Asian American Lead
• Capital City Public Charter School (past gardeners)
• CentroNia (Pre-k Incentive Program, Headstart, Summer Camp)
• Columbia Heights Youth Club
• Community of Hope
• D.C. Bilingual Public Charter School
• E.L. Haynes Public Charter School (past gardeners)
• Garrison Public Middle School
• Growing Girls and Gardens
• New Communities
• Pediatric AIDS/HIV Care, Inc
• River Terrace Public Elementary School
• Urban Village
• Vietnamese American Community Service Center (VACSC)

Interested in starting a project with us? Contact Rebecca at rebecca@cityblossoms.org or Lola at lola@cityblossoms.org.