Food & Garden
At Sustain DuPage, we believe that reconnecting with the land—and each other—is essential for a thriving future. One of the best ways to build these connections is through food and gardening. With our hands-on programs in gardening, cooking, composting, food security, and seed stewardship, we’re cultivating a local culture of sustainability. Whether you’re sowing your first seed, preparing a shared meal, or dropping off compost to nourish next season’s harvest, there’s a place for you to grow with us.
The SD Gardeners
A living classroom for teaching sustainable practices through growing food, community, and gardeners!
Are you interested in growing your own food? Join us in our communal garden for free, hands-on experience in a variety of sustainable gardening practices. Whether you’re a total beginner or a pro, you’re welcome here!
Community Cooking
Sharing traditions by preparing meals from local, seasonal, and sustainably grown foods!
Join us in our communal kitchen to experience the joy of cooking with fresh, locally grown ingredients. Learn how preparing food together nourishes our bodies, deepens our knowledge, strengthens our community, and supports a healthier planet. From field to fork, we explore everything from local foraging to global cuisine traditions.
The SD Seed Cache
Building food sovereignty through the practice of sharing and saving seeds!
All of the programs operating under the Seed Cache banner reconnect us with the roots of our food system. The Grow Out Crew transforms local gardeners into seed-saving stewards for threatened, open-pollinated varieties which are then returned to our partner seed libraries. Through One Seed, One Community, we unite around a single seed variety each year—growing together as a community, in every sense. The Sustain DuPage Seed Cache preserves favorite, locally adapted seeds for use in our greater community, while our Seed Share program rescues and redistributes both seeds and seedlings that might otherwise go unused—getting more people growing.
The Food Security Squad
Connecting gardeners to local food banks to reduce food waste while decreasing hunger.
At Sustain DuPage, we believe we need to give back to our community. The Squad unites local gardeners, pantry workers, community leaders, and neighbors to grow resilience in our food system—plant by seed, share by food box. The Food Security Squad is an on‑the‑ground, volunteer-powered team bridging the gap between the garden and table, growing more than veggies; they grow community. Access to food should not depend on mileage or income. Here in DuPage, we’re committed to shifting that statistic together.