This year for #GivingTuesday, Concrete Jungle needs our help! 

Concrete Jungle (CJ) is the only organization utilizing the freely available fruit growing on trees around the city, to provide sustenance and nutrition to food-insecure communities. With the help of volunteers, CJ has mapped 4,200+ fruit trees in Atlanta and Athens. Without CJ’s intervention, much of this fruit would naturally go to waste – rotting on sidewalks and in fields. So CJ works to reduce food waste, while increasing fresh food access. 

Now CJ’s fruit tree map needs a little TLC. This tool is essential for sourcing the freshest produce for Atlanta + Athens' food-insecure residents. CJ staff use it every day to plan fruit picks. And the public can use it too, to learn more about what’s growing in our city. 

I first heard about CJ as a starry-eyed college student, seeking community and connection to the land and knowledge of my local food system. When I heard about this scrappy group of people who had organized a community around fruit, I pictured people climbing trees and shaking the leaves; and I pictured the map. A map to find free fruit! A treasure, if ever I’d heard of one. 

I continued down my life path, leaving Georgia not long after. But my paths have a way of winding, and this year, I found myself living a dream – a job with Concrete Jungle! Not quite the same small group of people, but still scrappy and creative and community-focused. I was all starry-eyed 8 years ago when I looked at CJ from the outside, but if anything, the stars in my eyes have only grown getting to be a part of this team. 

It would mean a lot to me if my friends and family would make a small gift this GivingTuesday to support Concrete Jungle’s work in the community! With our help, Concrete Jungle will be able to update the fruit map and get fresh food to more people. 

P.S. Photo credits to my coworker and friend, Shira!