Gardening to Reimagine Urban Neighborhoods
Why gardening is important to reimagining communities
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How we support gardeners in urban communities
RiFS and NUGS serve low-income families in Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties by providing the supplies and hands-on education necessary for novice gardeners to learn how to grow their own food or native plants.
Who we are...
ReImagine Food Systems (RiFS) and Native Urban Garden Stewardship Program (NUGS) are volunteer-led gardening programs that increase accessibility of food gardens and native pollinator gardens in Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties
Photo by Kelly Strope via Acadia Natives
Photo by Kelly Strope via Acadia Natives
Native Urban Garden Stewardship program provides:
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One ~6'x10' garden bed with organic soil and compost (may be smaller or larger depending on site)
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Native plants and seeds appropriate for your site, tailored to your soil type, sun, and moisture conditions
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Basic gardening tool kit
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Hands-on education and printed resources
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Follow-up visits to answer questions and guide gardeners
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A contact to answer questions during business hours
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​APPLICATION DEADLINE IS March 16, 2025.
If you are interested in volunteering or joining our planning committee, let us know! Please contact us at reimaginenugs@gmail.com with any questions.
Resources that we use for our Garden Projects
Organic Seeds and Plants:
H3art Farms
Organic vegetable seedlings
700 Creswell St, Pittsburgh, PA 15210
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Mail-order organic seeds
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Westmoreland Master Gardener Plant Sale
Organic vegetable seedlings
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Wild Ones of Western PA Plant Sale
Organic, straight species native plants
June 22, 2025
285 River Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15215, Aspinwall
Straight species native plants - Pop-up events around Pittsburgh area
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Mail order straight species native seeds and plants
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Native Plant Nursery at Beechwood
Straight species local ecotype seeds and plants
614 Dorseyville Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
Photo by Kelly Strope via Acadia Natives
Photo by Kelly Strope via Acadia Natives
Photo by Kelly Strope via Acadia Natives
Photo by Kelly Strope via Acadia Natives
Photo by Kelly Strope via Acadia Natives
Sustainable resources that we use for our Garden Projects
Materials and infrastructure
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Sustainable Locally Sourced Hemlock Beds
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Closed loop compost and mulches
Managing your resources:
Free Soil Testing Events through Allegheny County Conservation District
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How to Compost - pdf from Grow Pittsburgh
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Backyard Composting Workshops through PA Resource Council
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Rain Barrel Workshops through PA Resource Council