2019 Annual Report
Letter from the DIrector
Dear Friends of City Sprouts,
It has been such an honor to be a part of the 25th growing season at City Sprouts! While very little went as planned, 2020 was a year that exemplified the best of City Sprouts and the Omaha community. After the pandemic closed our Education Center in March of 2020, we feared what the future would hold, but the challenges allowed us to grow and expand our reach in new and exciting ways.
As lines at food pantries grew longer, we knew we had to find a way to respond. This led to the addition of three new urban farm sites and an increase in our food production goal to almost 20,000 pounds! This was made possible through partnerships with nonprofits to access land, share resources, and cultivate the land. Fresh, local produce has been distributed throughout the Omaha community through food pantries, nonprofits tackling food insecurity, and innovative approaches to farmer's markets, including free farm stands and a pay-what-you-can farmer's market.
Our educational programming shifted quickly to the virtual environment, with Little Sprouts and Growing Gardeners workshops reaching more people than ever before. Our community gardens provided not only a space for growing food but also a safe place to come together as a community (six feet apart, outside, with masks and sanitizer!). The Urban Farming Internship kicked off a bit late and split into small groups at our various sites, but was a huge success and made our production goal possible.
We have a renewed sense of hope that in 2021, we will be able to once again gather in our spaces to grow and learn together. City Sprouts North is anticipating the addition of a Geodesic Greenhouse Learning Space and City Sprouts South is planning major upgrades to the community garden beds. We will continue to expand our food production at various Urban Farm sites and food distribution programs. In-person learning will resume as soon as it is safe to do so, with exciting new virtual options being planned for early 2021.
We are full of gratitude for all that was possible in 2020 and all that will be in 2021, thanks to our amazing funders, donors, volunteers, and partners.
Katie Kresha
Executive Director

2020 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 2020, 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:
Addie Gengenbach, Communications Manager | Laura Simpson, Program Coordinator | Aaron French, Farm Manager | Katie Kresha, Executive Director | Jasmine Marr, City Sprouts South Garden Manager | Shannon Kyler, Community Engagement Coordinator | Cian Brun, Education Manager
[Not pictured] Alex O'Hanlon, former City Sprouts South Garden Manager | John Huebscher, Urban Farm Manager
2020 Board Pictured (left to right)
Back Row: Kirby Simmering, Cassie Goulet, Jose Labrador, Kimbler Harrold, Dan Walsh (Board President), Courtney Harrington, Katie Kresha (Executive Director), Octavia Butler (Secretary)
Not Pictured: Brittani Tanhueco (Vice-President, LeAnne Kaiser (Treasurer), LaLeesha Hayes, Joey Vickery
New in 2020: LaLeesha Hayes, Joey Vickery, Courtney Harrington
Letter from the president
When City Sprouts was first founded in 1995, community members came together to create “a peaceful place for people to experience the joy of being around growing plants,” a place that offered education and distributed food to the community. 25 years later, that original idea has never been more important.
Our community is longing for a place to experience joy, to learn skills and techniques for empowerment, and to have access to fresh food. But this pandemic has left so many people feeling isolated, underemployed and feeling hopeless, and fighting to get food on the table. Indeed, Covid-19 and the resulting economic fallout has caused a significant increase in food insecurity, disproportionately affecting children and communities of color.
With your help over this past year, City Sprouts expanded our sites to produce over 15,000 lbs of produce, grown by our summer urban farming interns and distributed to locations throughout Omaha.
As we head into winter and look ahead to spring, we know hunger will remain an issue. In solidarity with our neighbors and fellow urban agriculture organizations, we hope you will partner with us in 2021 to ending hunger by supporting City Sprouts.
Sincere thanks,
Dan Walsh
2020 Board President