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Help support The Plant

Here at The Plant, we like to think of ourselves as pretty darn good at stretching a dollar. We have a tiny staff of only 2 full-time and three part-time people and an annual operating budget of under $200,000! But you can help! Your donation can nurture The Plant and keep it growing into an excellent example of how to grow and produce food in a truly sustainable way.

Take a look at our mission statement, goals, and 2013 objectives to find out more about what we have planned for the year––including nearly doubling the aquaponics farm, adding new educational programming like aquaponics and gardening classes, and making great progress on the planning, financing, and construction of the shared kitchen. Join us in making The Plant a success in 2013.

Donating to The Plant is easy! We use PayPal and you can either make a one-time donation using the “Donate” button––or, extend your help all year long and become a member of The Plant by giving on a monthly basis using the “Subscribe” button. Have questions? Feel free to email us at info[at]plantchicago.com. And thank you!

Please note: Plant Chicago, NFP is an Illinois-registered non-profit organization and has applied for federal charitable 501(c)3 status. We expect to get this in the middle of 2013. In the meantime, you can still donate and receive tax benefits from your donation. After you donate, we will send you an email with a donation letter attached.


Annual Membership



If you would prefer to donate goods, we are always looking for items to use for various projects. Our current wish list is as follows:

  • Netbook (small computer)
  • 1.5″ or 2″ (ideal) Dow blue foam board and pink polyiso foam board
  • EPDM pond liner
  • Coir & hydroton
  • LED or induction grow light fixtures
  • Ten T5 florescent grow or shop lights
  • Inda-Gro Induction lights
  • Sunshine SystemsWhite LED Panels
  • Sunshine Systems Red & Blue LED Panels
  • Aquarium pumps and filters
  • Metal shelving
  • Large plastic storage totes (such as Rubbermaid bins)
  • Restaurant-size, commercial grade salad spinner
  • Dehumidifiers and fans
  • Seeds for indoor and outdoor farming
  • Straw bales
  • Compost
  • Topsoil
  • Gardening tools
  • Industrial autoclave for mushroom production
  • Hardwood sawdust & wood chips
  • Commercial quality cookware and equipment – pots, pans, stainless mixing bowls,  sheet pans, stainless restaurant produce and hand sinks, etc.
  • Food-grade 5 gallon buckets
  • Agribon or other row-cover material for outdoors

However you contribute,

Thank you!