About Us

The DePaul Urban Gardeners are on a mission to change the world! We are grateful to have a wonderful space to create community through the wonders of gardening. Teaching and learning happens at every meeting! We operate throughout the entire year, having parties, teaching gardening, building stuff, making art, making friendships, laughing, growing, and learning!!! We grow food for free! At DUG, we cultivate a community of care, peace, and love, while also eating delicious and nutritious fruits and vegetables! Every person, gardener or non gardener, has a place at DUG! Part of DePaul's mission statement states: "Through education and research, the university addresses the great questions of our day, promoting peaceful, just, and equitable solutions to social and environmental challenges." DUG upholds this and more. We promote environmental activism, address food insecurity, and give students a space to connect with nature and use their hands. Learning about gardening helps us to benefit the community and ourselves by providing naturally and locally sourced produce, and this is nothing more but an equitable solution to people in Chicago dealing with food insecurity and limited access to healthy fruits and vegetables. We advocate for environmental connection and education, and do what must be done to ensure students learn about the calming activity of gardening.