Our Story

The story of Project Green began several years ago when El Dorado Hills resident Gina Johnston had the dream of bringing sustainable gardens to the local schools in her area. She started slowly with one elementary school and a lunch time program — but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she realized just how important the garden was to the mental health of students.

After applying for a grant from the El Dorado Hills Endowment, an El Dorado Community Foundation fund, she found herself in the unique situation of being asked to turn this lunchtime garden program into a much larger nonprofit that would benefit the entire community.

With the help of the EDCF and their 501(c)3 umbrella, Project Green was formed. Now more students all over El Dorado County have access to school gardens, offering a safe space for students to work together for a common goal.