South Tucson Food Sovereignty
Free desert-adapted seeds, hands-on clinics, and shared tools for every Tucson neighbor.
A grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit in South Tucson helping families grow food through climate-resilient heritage seeds, bilingual workshops, and shared garden equipment.
In 2025: 4,820 seed packets distributed to 890 local households, producing an estimated 14,200 lbs of fresh food across South Tucson.
Community Seed Packing Night · Southside Room Free & open to all
Community Mission
Keeping drought-adapted heritage crops alive in neighborhood soil.
We protect Sonoran desert food sovereignty by keeping climate-adapted heritage seeds in community hands. Neighbors borrow seeds for free, learn desert soil management, and return a portion of their harvest seeds to keep the collection thriving for generations.
ACTIVE COMMUNITY FUND DRIVE
2026 Monsoon Heritage Seed Expansion Campaign
$26,450 raised of $35,000 goal (75%)
1:1 Match Active: All gifts are matched dollar-for-dollar by the Sonoran Grassroots Endowment.
Explore Campaign Details & Donate → Community Offerings
View Program Guides → Free Programs for Tucson Growers
Thu 4–7pm & Sat 9am–12pm
Heritage Seed Lending
Borrow up to 10 packets per season of drought-tolerant tepary beans, I'itoi onions, Tohono O'odham melons, and native amaranth adapted to Sonoran heat.
Bi-weekly Saturdays
Desert Soil & Irrigation Clinics
Hands-on workshops covering compost tea, olla pot clay irrigation, shade cloth placement, and monsoon rain catchment.
Open during library hours
Community Tool Share Library
Broadforks, wheelbarrows, drip tubing punchers, and soil aerators available for free checkout with any local ID or neighbor voucher.
Tuesdays & Thursdays after school
Bilingual Youth Garden Plots
Mentorship plots where South Tucson students learn seed saving, pollination biology, and healthy culinary traditions in Spanish and English.
Community Calendar
Full Event Schedule → Hands-On Clinics & Work Nights
September 12, 2026 · 9:00 AM
Monsoon Planting & Olla Workshop
📍 Mission Manor Community Garden
Learn low-water clay olla installation, soil amendment, and monsoon crop timing. Free olla starter pots for attendees.
September 24, 2026 · 5:30 PM
Community Seed Packing Work Night
📍 Southside Community Room
Help sort, weigh, label, and pack 3,000 fall seed envelopes. Light dinner and aguas frescas provided. All ages welcome.
October 10, 2026 · 8:30 AM
Heritage Mesquite Milling Day
📍 Kennedy Park Ramada 4
Bring clean, dry native mesquite pods to mill into gluten-free, high-protein flour on the hammermill. Free processing for neighbors.
COMMUNITY CREW
Join our weekend seed sorting and class team.
Pack seed packets, translate growing manuals into Spanish, host clinic registration, or maintain community garden tools.