2025 North Suburban Cook County - School Garden Assistance
Supporting your school garden is important to us, and Illinois Extension’s horticulture team will do our best to serve you in 2025. We can consult with you remotely and provide invaluable resources via our School Garden Resources website. However, staff time for on-site visits is limited.
Illinois Extension recommends educating yourself, securing/preparing your sponsors, and recruiting volunteers and students to nurture the garden when considering a school garden. Before implementing a school garden, we recommend having at least five dedicated garden supporters (may include parents, teachers, school garden coordinators, and administrators) willing to assist with the garden program.
There are many benefits to be obtained from a school garden project, and University of Illinois Extension is here to help! Please complete the following form to help us understand the project's scope and make proper recommendations for the site. We can then attempt to recruit Master Gardener volunteers to guide your specific garden project.
Registrations submitted after 3/15/2025 for on-site consultations will be scheduled for summer/fall 2025 assistance.
NOTE: We are implementing school and community garden training to streamline the process for on-site garden visits. On-site visits will be prioritized for those organizations that attend our virtual training sessions on Feb 25, 2025 – How to Start a Garden, March 4, 2025 - Vegetables Gardening, March 11, 2025 - Ornamental Gardens and Curriculum. Register for the training or contact Nancy Kreith at kreith@illinois.edu for further information on the School and Community Garden Training.
** Please note: Extension Staff and volunteers cannot sign any contracts, agreements, or waivers**
If you have any questions or need a reasonable accommodation to participate, contact Amanda Anderson, the Master Gardener Program Coordinator in North Suburban Cook County. Email: amandaea@illinois.edu and Phone: 224.347.1095. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your needs. University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. United States Department of Agriculture. Local Extension Councils Cooperating. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.