Genesis Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Macomb, Illinois, USA. Genesis Garden was founded out of a grassroots organization dedicated to addressing and eliminating the effects of poverty through a proactive, preventative, and compassionate approach. Our inception was inspired by the rapid eviction of Shade Tree Mobile Park residents in 2010. This event exposed the lack of emergency and rapid re-housing in Macomb and McDonough County for families who suddenly find themselves without a place to live.
Summer Meals for Kids began in 2016. Beginning as a fixed-site meal to meet USDA mandate, Summer Meals went on the road during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking advantage of the waivers of some USDA rules, to deliver breakfast and lunch for each day of the week. In summer 2024, under USDA’s new rules for rural areas, weekly meal pickups were available from Macomb Middle School. The grassroots Soup & More community meal launched in 2010 joined Genesis Garden in 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic forced this food-sharing initiative into a hiatus. Post-pandemic we’re focusing on relationship-building while sharing meals together through the Family Dinner Project in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters
In 2019, the board of directors engaged in a strategic planning process and refined Genesis Garden’s mission, vision, and core values. The resultant guiding elements were formally adopted in September 2019.
Our Mission: Sharing food.
Providing shelter.
Empowering community.
Our Vision: A resilient and hopeful community.
Our Core Values:
Empowerment,
Community, Compassion, Strengths-focused,
Asset-based
In 2021, Genesis Garden’s directors participated in a series of trainings to focus efforts more on transformational change and development using a lens of asset-based and holistic community development.
Our People
Jeanetta Thorpe, Genesis Housing Director
Open Position, Housing Coordinator
Hayley Cooper, Case Manager
Josie, 2024 Intern
Shawntae Howard, Employment Specialist
Geneva Barker, Community Facilitator
Amanda Dean, Office Professional
Crystal Brothe, Office Professional
Open Position, AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer – Housing Action Illinois
Chaka Donald, Interim Property Manager
Melissa Calhoun, President
Directors
Melissa Calhoun, President
David Monninger, Vice President
Mark Merrill, Treasurer
Founding President: Brooks Olds
Kathy Stoner-Lasala
Marie Blome
Bill Thompson
2023-24 AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer
Mariam Antoine
2020-21 Interns, Peace Corps Fellows, and AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteers
Miranda Lambert (2020-21), Sydney Dewees (2020-21), Alexander Benishek (2021), Cortnie Schierman, (2020-21), Zac Green (2021),
Cindy Guzman, Intern, WIU Social Work Department (Spring 2021)
Summer 2020 Volunteers/Staff
AmeriCorps Summer VISTA: Adrienne Graham, Grace Merrett, Lily Mansfield, Ethan La Prad, Ethan Fogg, Gibby Blankenship, Devon Simpson, Jessica Moncrieff, Iliyana Olds, Marco Narvaez, Desi Blanken
Peace Corps Fellows/AmeriCorps: Camden Arnold, Brianne Nichols, Meghan Elgee, Miranda Lambert, Gaothajying Her, Cortnie Schierman, Katie Colon
Summer Meals Assistants: Annie Powell, Noah La Prad, Aiden Necak