Riverview Gardens’ interdependent social enterprises and ServiceWorks® training program support each other. Our five social enterprises are the mission muscle in providing diverse and unlimited job training opportunities for ServiceWorks participants, a source of revenue for financial stability, and value to the local economy. Funds raised are spent more effectively on programs that give experience in real world training environments. It’s a “Double Bottom Line Approach”, generating financial performance and social impact.
Fifteen acres of certified-organic farmland in Appleton, additional farmland in Neenah, and 23 passive solar greenhouses provide locally grown, healthy produce for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares and Feeding America. The farms support job and leadership training, youth programming and community volunteer engagement.
Riverview Gardens operates two Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) hydroponic systems providing a year-round fresh lettuce supply to ThedaCare hospitals, Lawrence University, Festival Food Stores, several local stores and restaurants and Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.
CEAs use 90% less water than traditional outdoor growing methods, are not dependent on weather conditions, use less energy, harness the power of natural sunlight, and produce larger crop yields with less waste.
Centrally located in downtown Appleton, the Community Center serves as an inclusive multi-use collaborative space supporting the mission of Riverview Gardens. Revenue generated from facility use fees for corporate meetings helps support our mission. ServiceWorks® job-training participants provide all meeting set-up/take down and upkeep of the building and surrounding park space.
The Community Center hosts a multitude of pro-social intergenerational activities including Lawrence University “Music for All” concerts, small group activities, cooking classes and collaborations with partnering nonprofit organizations.
Riverview Gardens engages in a number of contracts with other non-profit organizations, churches, and for-profit organizations to provide general building maintenance, summer lawn care, and winter snow shoveling opportunities for ServiceWorks® job-training participants.
Riverview Gardens’ C.A.R.E. (Clean Assess Refresh Enhance) Team supplements existing cleaning services in downtown Appleton. The C.A.R.E. Team offers the opportunity for a low barrier entrance into our ServiceWorks® job training program. Participants receive meaningful transferable work skills training and work opportunities.
We engage with participants through the C.A.R.E. Team to keep the downtown area looking beautiful. The C.A.R.E. Team offers a way for participants to take pride in and give back to the community.