Tenderloin People’s Garden (TPG)
The Tenderloin People’s Garden is a green oasis, food forest, and community gathering space in the heart of San Francisco. TPG is stewarded entirely by volunteers and community members backed by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department who are dedicated to tending the land and maintaining the garden as a vital community resource. For current information on TPG, click here to visit the TPG website.
TPG grew out of tenants' and community members' desire for fresh produce and to fight systemic food inequity in our community. Facing a history of systemic underinvestment and structural racism, neighborhoods with less money and largely composed of Black and Brown people, like the Tenderloin, have had intentionally limited access to nutritious foods, which in turn harms people's physical and mental health. You can learn more about how to dismantle racism in farming and food access here.
Tenderloin residents and TNDC team members built TPG in 2010. Once a vacant lot located on the corner of Larkin and McAllister Streets, TPG transformed into what is now a vibrant and vital urban farm. TPG contributes to building a more equitable food system and provides a space for community connection. Having fresh produce grown by your own hands provides a sense of self-reliance and empowerment. It means access to important nutrients for the body and mind, which in turn means better health overall.
TPG is also a space for personal growth. Many tenants and community members come to the soil for solitude, healing, and a sense of well-being.
