The Homeless Garden Project has been selected as a 2025 California Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-28).
Now in its tenth year, the California Nonprofit of the Year initiative provides the opportunity for each California state legislator to recognize a nonprofit organization doing outstanding work in their district. The program culminates with a celebratory luncheon at the Capitol on California Nonprofits Day, which this year is May 21.
Founded in 1990, the Homeless Garden Project provides job training, transitional employment and support services to people experiencing homelessness — and operates a vibrant community education and volunteer program for the broader community.
The programs operate in Homeless Garden Project’s 3.5-acre organic farm, two retail stores and online.
Founder and Executive Director Darrie Ganzhorn says over the last 10 years, 95% of Homeless Garden Project graduates obtained jobs in the community and 88% of graduates secured housing.
“For 35 years, the Homeless Garden Project community has been ‘Planting Seeds and Transforming Lives’ through our innovative and holistic program that offers so many community benefits, hand-in-hand.
We are deeply humbled to be recognized by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin as a 2025 Nonprofit of the Year,” Ganzhorn said.
Geoff Green, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits, said the recognition was well-deserved.
He also said, “Nonprofits are not just innovators and problem-solvers, but also a major economic force within the state,” said Green.
“Causes Count,” a 2019 report commissioned by CalNonprofits, found the nonprofit sector is the 4th largest industry in the state, employing more than 1.2 million people and generating more than $273 billion in revenue annually.
Unpaid labor contributed by volunteers at nonprofits is equivalent to 330,000 full-time jobs a year.
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For info, see https://homelessgardenproject.org
