About Bountiful Cities
Founded in 2000 in Asheville, Bountiful Cities is a nonprofit organization rooted in promoting long-term food security, social justice, economic sustainability, and environmental health. Over the past two decades, we have supported communities in building sustainable food systems through education, micro enterprise incubation, skills training, and advocacy. Our purpose is to develop food-sovereign communities, integrating food production, and economic opportunities.
Our Programs
Since 2009, the FEAST program has partnered with local public schools and after school programs to empower youth and families to grow, prepare, and enjoy fruits and vegetables through hands-on cooking and garden education.
The Share Market is open to everyone and focuses on equitable, choice-based food distribution that honors the cultural diversity of our community. Everyone is welcome to come and share No-Cost fresh fruits, veggies, and bread along with seeds, plants, and education about growing food. Participants are welcome to bring something to share if they have it, and there is no requirement to bring anything at all. Long-term food security is our goal - through fresh food access and supporting food sovereignty.
The Asheville Buncombe Garden Network connects 30+ gardens through shared communications, meetups, garden workdays, workshops, volunteer recruitment, and resources. The goal of this program is to strengthen neighborhood-powered food initiatives through collaboration.
The Pearson Food Hub is the flagship garden of Bountiful Cities, marking the very spot where our journey began in 2000. Owned by Bountiful Cities, this lush 1 ½-acre oasis is a vibrant tapestry of vegetables, herbs, perennials, fruit trees, greenhouses, and a covered pavilion. The garden's impact is felt far and wide, having yielded thousands of plants and fresh produce, nourishing hundreds of people and engaging hundreds of volunteers. Pearson Garden has been instrumental in cultivating the urban agriculture movement in Asheville, serving as a beacon of collaboration and empowerment within our communities.
In collaboration with the City of Asheville, Bountiful Cities manages multiple Edible Parks, engaging with volunteers to install and maintain food forests, and community gardens on City owned property. We also help to manage the Asheville Edibles Map - crowd sourcing information about gardens, edible plants, and trees throughout the city.