Super Sprouts is an all inclusive educational gardening kit + online learning library centered around multicultural gardening, with topics extending across science, nutrition, sustainability, and food justice.
THE PROJECT
Super sprouts was developed in Stanford’s Design for Extreme Affordability program through the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. Our student team was paired with agricultural non-profit Valley Verde and tasked to help grow their buisness. Through full emmersion into the world of gardening, we developed Super Sprouts to address the gap between those with a desire to garden and the ability to (knowledge, space, experience, etc.). Our garden kit comes with everything your kids need to get started with gardening, hoping to inspire a new generation connected to our food system and to our world.
DATE
2020. 9 mo.
TYPE
User Research, UX/UI design, Buisness Design, Education
BACKGROUND
“A garden can be a gateway into a larger universe” (Richard Louv).
In the Bay Area, 11.5% of the population is food insecure, with public assistance programs limited to households with incomes of less than $50,200 for a family of four. The Bay Area is also one of the most culturally diverse regions in the country, with 65% of the population belonging to multiethnic communities. However, culturally-preferred vegetables are not readily available in mainstream stores or are way above an affordable cost for many families. Valley Verde, a California-based 501-c3, is currently working towards making a lasting impact on food security through their programs that give affordable access to gardening resources and training to underserved families in San Jose and Gilroy. Members of their various programs receive both multiethnic seedlings and the support to grow them into food to feed their families. However, due to the impact of COVID-19, high land costs in San Jose, and limited staff, the organization faces challenges in generating consistent revenue and in reaching wider audiences that could benefit from their resources. Thus, Valley Verde needs an affordable way to empower more widespread engagement with their multi-cultural gardening resources so that they can build a larger network of families that are aware of and support their mission.
THE SOLUTION
The Super Sprouts program creates a way for families to connect with gardening and to Valley Verde by engaging their children in an interactive, at-home gardening experience. An all-in-one gardening curriculum designed for children, the Super Sprouts program provides a box with seeds, soil, a watering tool, and a gardening journal. Paired with access to a self-guided online learning library that leverages Valley Verde’s educational gardening expertise and food justice advocacy, kids can practice multi-cultural, sustainable gardening using the resources in the box.
THE IMPACT
While the Super Sprouts program is aimed at children, the initiative will empower families as a whole to engage with the benefits of gardening. Studies have shown that engaging with outdoor gardening activities can improve children’s mental and physical health, develop stronger immune systems, and make them more likely to willingly consume fruits and vegetables. Additionally, there is growing demand for ways to engage kids with gardening, with a 25% increase in gardening in households with children. By using sustainable materials and available resources, the Super Sprouts box can be produced for less than $7 per unit. This will allow Valley Verde to market the box to higher income schools and families for a profit to provide funding to expand their mission driven programs and staff bandwidth. In addition, the Super Sprouts box will empower families to take a greater interest in gardening as a household. This interest can create a wider network of families that want to connect with gardening and are aware of Valley Verde’s ability to help them do so in a socially impactful way.
