What We Do
Louisville Grows is a nonprofit organization working to create greener, healthier neighborhoods in Louisville. We want to grow vibrant, sustainable communities by promoting urban horticulture and advancing health equity. We envision a city where every neighborhood has access to clean air, shade, and green spaces that improve quality of life.
Through our Urban Forestry Program, we’re rebuilding Louisville’s tree canopy one neighborhood at a time. By partnering with community members and volunteers, we plant and care for trees that cool our streets, clean our air, and bring natural beauty to our neighborhoods. With a goal of planting 1,000 trees each year, we’re committed to restoring the canopy and creating a healthier, more resilient Louisville for everyone.
Our Urban Horticulture Program supports community members, gardens, and parks by providing the tools, technical assistance, and education they need to thrive. By strengthening these shared green spaces, we help neighborhoods grow fresh, healthy plants while building connections and resilience.
At the Healthy House, our programs, workshops, and classes focus on healthy living, healthy eating, environmental education, and environmental equity. This community hub is a space for learning, collaboration, and action—empowering residents to live healthier lives while caring for the environment.
Why It Matters
Louisville Grows’ outreach extends to all of Jefferson County. However, our focus audience is on serving 21 neighborhoods in the west and south of Louisville. The Urban Heat Island Effect most impacts these neighborhoods due to the loss of their tree canopy, and they are experiencing food insecurities.
A 2015 study by Dr. Brian Stone of the Georgia Institute of Technology on urban heat identifies Louisville as having one of the fastest-growing urban heat island effects in the nation. These effects are most pronounced in neighborhoods lower on the city’s socioeconomic scale, whose canopies are especially deficient. This leads to higher energy usage and health disparities, including heat-related illness and death, all of which disproportionately affect Louisville’s poorest residents. The Urban Heat Management Study, commissioned by Louisville’s Office of Sustainability, recommends planting trees as a highly effective way to combat these issues. Besides mitigating heat, trees clean the air and soil, absorb stormwater runoff, reduce utility bills, increase property value, and enhance the urban environment's beauty. While a 45% urban tree canopy is recommended, the average tree canopy in the neighborhoods we serve is only 15-22% and Louisville is losing roughly 54,000 trees per year.
At the same time, these neighborhoods are the ones suffering from food insecurities, including a lack of grocery stores and access to fresh, healthy foods. Access to nutritious food is a necessity for a healthy and prosperous lifestyle. Research has shown that a balanced diet is crucial for maintaining healthy physical and social development. According to the Greater Louisville Project, Louisville currently ranks 5th among its peer cities in food insecurity, with 16.1% of residents experiencing food insecurity. Additionally, Louisville ranks 2nd in rates of children who live in a household experiencing food insecurity, with a rate of 17%. The USDA defines food insecurity as lacking enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle for all members of the household.
Cleaner Air
Filtering particulates and producing oxygen
Stormwater
Soaking up storm water, lessening flooding
Connected Communities
Improving social cohesion
Neighborhood Pride
Building a stronger collective identity
Socioeconomic Benefits
Reducing home energy costs
Diverse Ecosystems
Increasing habitat for native species
Mental Health
Inspiring cooler attitudes
Physical Health
Creating a more walkable neighborhood
Cooler Streets
Providing shade to streets and sidewalks
Our History
Louisville Grows was founded by a group of “guerilla gardeners” gathering to make seed bombs in their living rooms. Their goal was to spread the importance of greening our community. This marked the beginning of Louisville Grows' assistance to community groups and individuals on their journey towards sustainability.
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