Riverview Gardens in Appleton, WI was an interesting place to volunteer for my Civic Engagement experience. I started volunteering at Riverview Gardens last winter after writing about the site for my UW Fox Valley course in Urban Geography. We had learned about “gentrification,” in Urban Geography, which is the process of neighborhood upscaling that results in displacing residents who can no longer afford to live there. Riverview Gardens is an example of gentrification in reverse. Riverview Gardens was once Riverview Country Club, a private 72-acre golf course, which came up for sale in December 2011. It was quickly purchased by COTS, a transitional shelter for the homeless. The new owners of Riverview Country Club wanted to create a multipurpose piece of land
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Riverview Gardens is unique in that it is self-sustaining organization. Riverview Gardens offers a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program which allows community members to purchase a box of organic produce, each week for 24 weeks. For community members who cannot afford a CSA share, Riverview Gardens offers a Workshare program. It is similar to the CSA share, however, it offers low-income people the chance to volunteer four to six hours a week in exchange for a box of organic produce, each week for 24 weeks. Riverview Gardens offers a variety of programs which do not just “hand out” what people need, but also teach people the skills they need to be successful in the future. In their “Earn a Bike” program, volunteers can earn a reliable bike, helmet, light and lock after only 15 hours of volunteer service; should the bike need any fixing in the future, they make any repairs on site for free. This is a solution for people who struggle to find or pay for transportation. It offers a way of transportation to both to Riverview Gardens and also other employment. In addition, through their “Service Works” program volunteers are taught necessary work skills and may receive a
Riverview Gardens is unique in that it is self-sustaining organization. Riverview Gardens offers a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program which allows community members to purchase a box of organic produce, each week for 24 weeks. For community members who cannot afford a CSA share, Riverview Gardens offers a Workshare program. It is similar to the CSA share, however, it offers low-income people the chance to volunteer four to six hours a week in exchange for a box of organic produce, each week for 24 weeks. Riverview Gardens offers a variety of programs which do not just “hand out” what people need, but also teach people the skills they need to be successful in the future. In their “Earn a Bike” program, volunteers can earn a reliable bike, helmet, light and lock after only 15 hours of volunteer service; should the bike need any fixing in the future, they make any repairs on site for free. This is a solution for people who struggle to find or pay for transportation. It offers a way of transportation to both to Riverview Gardens and also other employment. In addition, through their “Service Works” program volunteers are taught necessary work skills and may receive a