Imagine a community where fresh, healthy food is abundant, where the environment thrives, and where people come together to grow, learn, and share.

Did you know this already exists right here in Austin and is in the the process of tripling in size? Introducing Festival Beach Food Forest, a vibrant, community-driven space that grows edible forest gardens on public land that nourish, educate and inspire. With your support, we can continue to grow into our Phase II expansion, building upon a successful pilot project that has transformed 2/3 acre of parkland into a thriving ecosystem of edible plants.

Since October 2024, we have planted 150 trees in Phase II, rooting into our full three acre plot. We envision an accessible space that will provide even more food and medicine for the public. The design will be simultaneously functional and inviting, and provide many community and ecosystem services. Berms and swales will passively collect rain water and support trees. Instructive teaching gardens will provide space to learn and play. An outdoor kitchen, community deck, and education pavilion will serve as an important anchor for transforming our campus into a community resilience hub.

But to make our full vision a reality, we need your support!

This Giving Tuesday, Your Support Can Transform Land and Lives

Every year on Giving Tuesday, millions of people around the world come together to share their resources and abundance with their communities. This year, on December 3rd, we invite you to be a part of something truly impactful — a movement that reimagines a world built upon shared humanity and kindness.

To support the forest, our core team of volunteers leverages grants, cash & in-kind donations, and volunteer hours. In 2024, we have already utilized over 5,500 volunteer hours and spent the majority of our available funds in order to sustain our thriving food forest ecosystem and provide community programming on public parkland in the heart of Austin. As we approach the holidays, we invite you to be a part of something bigger by supporting our grassroots work.

How You Can Help

To bring this dream to life, we humbly seek your generosity. We need funding to help us:

1. Plant the Forest: This includes purchasing trees, shrubs, herbs, and other edible plants, as well as materials for mulching and irrigation, in support of the existing Phase I and the new Phase II of this project.

2. Build Community Programs: We want to offer more educational workshops, continue to host volunteer events, build our Cocina Cosecha (kitchen & learning space), and develop a thriving community hub that fosters collaboration and sharing.

3. Sustain the Future: Ongoing care and maintenance are key to ensuring the longevity of the Food Forest, so we’re raising funds for tools, equipment, skilled labor, and training for volunteers to continue managing the site.

Your Contribution Will Make a Difference

Every donation, large or small, will directly support our sustainable, community-powered Food Forest. Whether it’s a one-time gift or a recurring donation, your support will help sustain & expand a space where fresh food is abundant, nature is celebrated, and neighbors come together for the common good. Here’s a few ways your donation can make a difference:

• $25 can buy:
  • 1-4 plants;
  • Seaweed and soil conditioner to support plants;
  • Cover crops to improve soil health.
• $50 provides:
  • Plants and cover crops to support our upcoming spring planting (estimated total spring planting cost= $4,750);
  • Tacos and coffee to power 50+ volunteers through second Saturday workdays;
  • Purchase of supplies and tools to maintain the forest.
• $100 allows us to:
  • Purchase a weedeater;
  • Purchase an entire guild of plants to support our trees;
  • Help provide food and fun activities at community events;
• $250+ helps fund higher ticket items and big dreams such as:
  • Skilled labor for consistency in our core tasks, such as land stewardship, community event coordination, and volunteer coordination;
  • Purchase of a generator that can be used on-site;
  • Completion of our irrigation system in Phase II;
  • Our dream of building the Cocina Cosecha: a community kitchen space that is a part of our Phase II Expansion.

And we will automatically enter you into a raffle!

We will be giving away Food Forest gift packages to three lucky donors! These packages will include surprise handcrafted gifts by forest volunteers such as tinctures, teas and salves made with plants harvested from the forest; art prints; stickers and more! (please note that raffle winners will be contacted in early 2025, as we have to wait until then to receive complete donor information from the Austin Community Foundation's matching program).

If you plan to donate $50 or more and this is your FIRST TIME donating to the Food Forest, please use this alternative method to donate today to have your gift MATCHED by Austin Community Foundation! When making your donation, select "Specify Organization" and type in "Fruitful Commons-FBFF".

Why Giving Tuesday Matters

Giving Tuesday isn’t just about one day of giving; it’s about creating a ripple effect of kindness, generosity, and collective impact. With your donation, you’ll help us:

1. Provide free, accessible food that is available to harvest by all;
2. Offer education on local edible and medicinal plants, regenerative agriculture, and permaculture principles; and
3. Improve community connectedness by offering public events, workshops, and outdoor gathering space.

How to Get Involved:

• Donate: Make your gift on this page on Giving Tuesday (December 3, 2024) or become a monthly sustaining donor by joining the Giving Guild.
• Spread the Word: Share our mission with your friends, family, and colleagues. Use #GivingTuesday and tag us at @austin_food_forest on Instagram to help us reach even more people.
• Volunteer: Give your time by signing up to help with our upcoming initiatives — every hour you give has a lasting impact.

Together, We Can Make This Giving Tuesday Unforgettable.

This is your chance to make a direct, positive impact by caring for land and eachother. Thank you for being a part of our community, for believing in our mission, and for helping us create a more sustainable, connected, liberated tomorrow.

More about Festival Beach Food Forest:

What is a Food Forest?

A Food Forest is a low-maintenance, permaculture-inspired garden that mimics a natural forest ecosystem, with layers of edible plants including fruit trees, berries, herbs, nuts, vegetables, and even mushrooms. It’s a place where people can freely access fresh, nutritious food, learn about regenerative agriculture, and connect with nature — all while helping to restore the health of the environment.

Why a Food Forest?

• Access to Fresh, Local Food: In many communities, healthy, affordable food is not always easy to come by. A Food Forest provides an ongoing source of fresh, nutrient-rich food for all.

• Environmental Impact: Food Forests act as carbon sinks, support biodiversity, and help regenerate soil and water resources. It’s a holistic approach to tackling climate change and urban food insecurity.

• Community Building: The Food Forest is more than just a garden; it’s a gathering place for community members to get their hands in the soil, share knowledge, and form lasting connections. It’s a project that brings people together for shared benefit and collective care.

• Education and Empowerment: By getting involved in the Food Forest, community members will learn valuable skills in permaculture, sustainable gardening, and food preservation — skills that can be applied in their own homes and shared with others.

Together, we plant the seeds of a healthier, more resilient community.

Join us in making this vision a reality. Donate or sign up to volunteer today, and be a part of something that will nourish generations to come.

Thank you for your support!