2019 Annual Report
Letter from the DIrector
This Annual Report will be my last as I will be retiring from City Sprouts at the end of December 2019 and will be passing this ‘growing’ organization to our new ED, Katie Kresha.
My tenure at City Sprouts has been humbling, enlivening, challenging and fulfilling. 2020 will prove to be an exciting year as Katie joins the team and the 25th anniversary of the founding of City Sprouts is celebrated. I am sure that the staff and board will be filled with enthusiasm, vigor, and creativity. Thank you all for your many years of support and your gifts of time, talent and treasure. I have been privileged to spend these last seven years working with great colleagues, board members, community advocates, and dedicated donors.
Gardeners don’t grow old, they just spade away.
Thank you!
Roxanne Willams Draper
Executive Director 2012 - 2019

2019 Highlights
PROGRAMS BY THE NUMBERS
summer urban farming internship
city sprouts north interns
At City Sprouts North and our Decatur Urban Farm, we had the pleasure of working with 13 interns who shared our passion for growing, cooking and preserving delicious local food. Together they helped manage the ¼ acre Decatur Farm, harvest produce for a weekly farm stand and CSA program, assist in educating youngsters in the Little Sprouts program, and formed a tight-knit group of future leaders dedicated to improving the environment, their communities and themselves!
city sprouts South interns
This year we had 3 interns at City Sprouts South. The interns helped to build our hugelkulture beds, lead volunteers in garden tasks, facilitate our garden classes for kids, maintain our gardens, prepare and deliver our weekly CSA, and harvest and process culinary and medicinal herbs. 2 Interns, Juan and Mia, stayed on for an extended internship throughout the month of September and helped us maintain our late season gardens, put the garden to bed, and save seeds.
Program Features
Meet our interns
Find out more about each intern by hovering on their images below.
saving local seeds
seed of the year
The Seed of the Year program started in 2019 as a collaboration between City Sprouts, The Big Garden, Big Muddy Urban Farm, and Omaha Public Library. The goal of the program is to increase the amount of locally saved seed available in Omaha and to encourage Omaha residents’ ability and confidence around saving seed.
2019’s Seed of the Year was the Rattlesnake Bean! Seed packets and a growing and seed saving guides were provided free of charge at City Sprouts and all of the partner locations.
By the end of the season, the seed had been locally grown and saved and were redistributed to community members, stocked at our organizations for future use, and became part of the Omaha Public Library Common Soil Seed Library!
seed school
In 2019 City Sprouts partnered with The Big Garden to host Omaha's first annual Seed School, taught by our staff who were trained at the Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance Seed School. This 2-day intensive course for gardeners, farmers, seed savers, and seed stewards taught topics on seeds like the history of seeds, planning for seed saving, and isolation techniques. On the second day, attendees also got some hands-on experience at cleaning and processing seeds. Through Seed School, we hope to build a local network of seed savers committed to preserving biodiversity.
cultivadoras
Siembra Salud program
City Sprouts South served as a partner in the launch of the Siembra Salud program with Latino Center of the Midlands, CHI, Nebraska Extension, and One World. The program sends cultivadoras, or family garden instructors, to help provide education and resources for families to build, grow, and maintain their own garden. City Sprouts South provided plants for the home gardens as well as training for the Cultivadoras and classes on fermentation and canning. The program served 19 families and those families were able to grow over 1500lbs of produce!
The following individuals, foundations, and organizations have supported City Sprouts in 2019, making our programming possible. We also thank all of the community members who have made donations and volunteered their time!
Mary Adams
Jimmy Albin
Mary Allen
Jane Alseth
Emily Andersen
Valerie Anderson
Clyde & Mary Anna Anderson
Rebecca Anderson
Approach Climbing Gym
Arbor Day Foundation
Archetype Coffee
Kim Armstrong
Susan Aschinger
John Ball
Katie Barr
Josh & Dana Bartee
Alyssa Beebe
Bellevue Berry Farm
Kelli Bello
Jacqueline Bendon
Rae Berry
Laurie A Bishop
Catherine Bloom
Aimee Boer
Jackie Borcyk
Elizabeth Bouza
Dee Ann Bowen
Angela Brown
Judy Brun
William Bugert & Carrie Eidsness
Chelsea Burdic
Tim & Cindy Burns
Theresa Ann Bush
Octavia Butler
Virginia Cabezas
Joan Carnaby
Rebecca Carr
Cait Caughey
Leigh and John Cheloha
CHI Health
Kent Cisar
Claire M Hubbard Foundation
Jessica & David Clark
Jennifer Collis
Michael Combs
Confectionist Omaha
Sam & Paula Cooper
Deborah Covert
Doug Craven
Crazy Gringa Hot Sauce
Creighton Athletics
Creighton Federal Union
Creighton University
Robert J Crisler
Gertrude Crosby
Mary Current
Pamela Davis
Sarah Dawson
Claudia & Tony Deeb
Yolanda Delgado
Dhana Devanaboyina
Barbara J. Dilly
Mary Drake
Mark & Roxanne Draper
Ben Drickey
Melinda Drickey
Linda Duckworth
Durham Museum
Ellen & Jack Duysen
Edge Body Boot Camp
Ciprianna Engel
Entrap Games
Shelley Ernst
Chris & Seana Fairchild
Marshall & Mona Faith
Filmstreams
First National Bank
Fontenelle Forest
Jessica Foreman
Cynthia Frasier & Chad Lebo
Jeff French
David Fulton
Fuzzy's Taco
Crystal Gale
Adelynn Gengenbach
Sara Going
Virginia J. Goomis
Sonya & Christian Gray
Mary Green
Natural Grocers
Mary Sue Grossman
Harold Hall
Jane L Hamer
Lisa Hammond
Shannon Hansen
Julianne Harm
Jane Hartig
PJ Hassenstab
Heartland B-Cycle
Tim Held
Angie & Michael Hempel
Marvin Henderson, Sr.
Robert Hess
Hilton Omaha
Marilyn Hoegemeyer
Alex Hook
Amanda Huckins
J Coco
Marsha & Andrew Jameton
Jaros Family Foundation
Taylor Jespersen
Jetton Charitable Fund
Sarah Johnson
Eric Johnson
Nancy Jorgensen
Kimberley & Michael Joyce
LeAnne Kaiser
Adam Kalin
Karma Yoga Omaha
Tara K. Karolski
Evelyn Katz
Ranae Keckeisen
Richard Kelley
Justin Kemerling
Kendra Scott
Tim Kerkhove
Cheryl Kessell
Anne Konen
John & Wende Kotouc
Larry Kurtz
James and Regina Kyler
Jose & Isabel Labrador
Kathryn Lalley Dewell
Andrea Lang
Steve Langan & Liz Ryan
Nicholas Langel
Shelby Larson
Erika Latimer
Le Jardin Garden Club
Kristy Leahy
Stephanie Lee
Christiane Ley
Ryan Litherland
Oksana Lockridge & Larry Schopfer
Brent Lubbert
Lucky Bucket
Gina Lypaczewski
Clare Maakestad
Paul J Maakestad
Rachel Mabey
Anne Machian
Catherine Mahern
Adrianne Marinkovich
Marriott Downtown Omaha
Megan Martin
Stephanie Matejka
Diane Mattern
Morgan Matya
Ed & Carrie May
Shelli Mayer
Mayor Jean Stothert City of Omaha
Chris McClellan
Michael McClellan
Lynn McCormack
Clifton McEvoy
Loretta McNally
David & Josie Metal Corbin
Minier Family Fund
Nathan Morgan
Mr. Toads
Mulhall's
Duncan Murphy
Barbara Naughtin
Donna Neff
David Newman
Kelly and Drew Nielsen
Amy Niles
Terri O'Brien
Christine Olson
Cole Otto
Matthew Owens
Anne Ozar & Ashley Hall
Allan Pacholski
Mike and Jen Parker
Nicole Partusch
George Patenode
Robert Patterson
Paul & Oscar Giger Foundation
Jessica Perrigan
Carol Pinard-Cronin
Krista Polito
Deanna Polk
John Pollack
Francie Prier
Athena Ramos
Matthew Reinarz
Danny Reyes
Michael Rhoades
Fred Robertson
Chris Robie
Chris & Tom Rock
Kenny Rocker
Rockstar Party Bus
Jillian Roger
Rotary Club of Omaha- North
Jack & Nancy Round
John Royster & Katie Blesener
Trevor Sandige
Cathy Schneiders
Schwab Charitable
Lindsay M. Miller & Peter W. Ambler Charitable Fund
Nicole Schwarz
Lourdes Secola
Seim Johnson, LLP
Patricia Seivert
Donald & Cheryl Schendt
Anthony Selting
Semerad Foundation
Kirby & Megan Simmering
Paul Simon
Spencer's
Jeremy Stanosheck
Hillary Stickler
Chris Stratman
Sunset Hills Garden Club
Patrick & Nina Swanson
Sysco
Brittani Tanhueco
Brandon Taylor
April Lynn Taylor
Ted and Wally's
The Bee Cause
The Grey Plume
The Grove Juicery
Grace Thomas
Susan Thomas
Sharon Thonen
Jerllyn Thurber
Debra & Charles Tomek
Top Nails
Katherine Townsend
Antoinette Tribulato
Allyson Tripplett
Jaimee Trobough
Josh Turner
Kathleen Turner
Nick Tvurdy
Union Pacific
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
University of Nebraska Foundation
Vala's Pumpkin Patch
Megan VanAlstine
Nancy Vander Sluis
Albert & Valerie Varas
Laura von Roenn
Dan Walsh
David Watts
Dan Watts
Barbara Weinberg
William Weiss
Katie Weitz
Weitz Family Foundation
Ken and Valerie West
Jo Bartikoski & D.E. Westling
Matt Wettengel
Whole Foods
Nancy Williams
Eric Williams & Kristine Hull
John Williams
Sherman & Kristie Willis
Adam & Kylie Wilmes
Jane Wilson
Kay Wilwerding
James Winner
Ryan Wishart and Liz Veazy
Debbie Wyatt
Ali Clark Yahnke & Scott Yahnke
Ali Yahnke
Jeff Zaleski
Leanne Ziettlow
Cassandra Zywiec

City Sprouts Staff Pictured left to right:
John Huebscher, Urban Farm Manager | Alex O'Hanlon, South Garden Manager | Anna Brun, Education Manager | Aaron French, Farm Manager | Shannon Kyler Community Engagement Coordinator, Addie Gengenbach, Communications Manager, Roxanne Draper, Executive Director [Not pictured] Clare Maakestad, Communications Manager
2019 Board Pictured (left to right)
Back Row: David Arrell, Jose Labrador, Dan Walsh, Cassie Goulet, Patricia Seivert, Kristie Willis, Kirby Simmering, LeAnne Kaiser, Roxanne Draper (Executive Director), Octavia Butler
Front Row (Executive Board): Brittani Tanhueco (Secretary), Seana Fairchild (President), Cassandra Zywiec (Vice President), and Jack Round (Treasurer)
Not Pictured: Sara Going, Kimbler Harrold
New in 2019: Cassie Goulet, LeAnne Kaiser, Patricia Seivert
Letter from the president
At City Sprouts we cultivate healthy communities and sustainable, equitable food systems. I think a keyword there is “community.” Just as we can’t grow delicious crops without good soil, we can see the fruits of our programs without the rich input of community members, donors, funders, and staff that have played key roles in building a stronger community through gardening.
As the board, we’re so thankful for those who supported our annual Grow with Us Gala, in which over 200 people raised over $33,000 and honored our Community Cultivator – Metropolitan Community College. That kind of financial support helps programs like our Summer Urban Farming Internship create pathways to employment for a stronger Omaha community. We’re also thankful for the strong foundation laid by Roxanne, who retired in December 2019 after 7 years of growth – organizationally, programmatically, and in our impact on the lives our local community. Finally, we’re excited to have Katie Kresha, our new Executive Director, work tirelessly alongside our team to ensure the transition is smooth for the people we serve and our collaborators.
Whether you’re a community member or a corporation, we hope you will continue to join us in our effort to promote community health and wealth through gardening, education, and workforce development!
Sincere thanks,
Dan Walsh
2020 Board President