About Us
GroGive is a new concept in food philanthropy which helps people become more food secure by learning to home food garden. People support GroGive by giving donations and purchasing handmade/hand-designed products on our website, at in-person events, and in local stores (currently Makers of Maryland in White Marsh, MD), and for every $100 in sales we grow and donate a potted vegetable plant to someone in a food desert in the Baltimore area.
Since our founding in 2020 (mid-pandemic) we've donated over 450 plants as well as a free seed library to a community in West Baltimore.
GroGive was founded by Cristi Demnowicz, a Baltimore area native who has worked in many different fields including medical, hospitality, photography, and social justice. At the same time she started GroGive, she began taking college classes at the Community College of Baltimore County and graduated summa cum laude with and AA in general studies and an Entrepreneurship Certificate in the spring of 2023. She then transferred to Colorado State University (online) where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture Business. She also completed the Future Harvest Beginner Farmer Training Program and is a Certified Horticulture Professional. She is studying to become a Certified Soil Food Web Consultant at the Soil Web Food School.
Cristi makes or designs all of the items sold by GroGive including: earrings, bracelets, and necklaces, macrame plant hangers, scented candles and wax melts, oil diffusers, soap, scented sprays, hand sanitizer, cuticle balm, beeswax lotion bars, stickers, tote bags, t-shirts and more.
GroGive's Five Fundamentals are:
-Our mission comes first.
-We will work to build community through solidarity.
-It's our responsibility to live in harmony with our natural environment.
-Human labor must never be undervalued.
-We will always remain accountable to our supporters and clients.
Happy #SolidarityGardening!
Cristi D
GroGive Founder
Since our founding in 2020 (mid-pandemic) we've donated over 450 plants as well as a free seed library to a community in West Baltimore.
GroGive was founded by Cristi Demnowicz, a Baltimore area native who has worked in many different fields including medical, hospitality, photography, and social justice. At the same time she started GroGive, she began taking college classes at the Community College of Baltimore County and graduated summa cum laude with and AA in general studies and an Entrepreneurship Certificate in the spring of 2023. She then transferred to Colorado State University (online) where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture Business. She also completed the Future Harvest Beginner Farmer Training Program and is a Certified Horticulture Professional. She is studying to become a Certified Soil Food Web Consultant at the Soil Web Food School.
Cristi makes or designs all of the items sold by GroGive including: earrings, bracelets, and necklaces, macrame plant hangers, scented candles and wax melts, oil diffusers, soap, scented sprays, hand sanitizer, cuticle balm, beeswax lotion bars, stickers, tote bags, t-shirts and more.
GroGive's Five Fundamentals are:
-Our mission comes first.
-We will work to build community through solidarity.
-It's our responsibility to live in harmony with our natural environment.
-Human labor must never be undervalued.
-We will always remain accountable to our supporters and clients.
Happy #SolidarityGardening!
Cristi D
GroGive Founder