Ypsilanti nonprofit Growing Hope has announced its seventh annual Hope's Harvest fundraiser. The afternoon garden party fundraiser will take place on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 from 3-6 p.m. at the Growing Hope Center, at 922 W. Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti. The event will feature a strolling dinner prepared by local chefs, a silent auction and an awards ceremony.

The full text of the announcement from the Growing Hope:

Growing Hope's 7th Annual Hope's Harvest fundraiser is to be held on Sunday, August 28th, 2011 in our "backyard" at our Growing Hope Center, from 3:00-6:00pm. This August afternoon garden party fundraiser features sustainably-grown, seasonal food from local farms and gardens prepared and served by well-know local chefs to complement favorite Michigan vineyard selections. This strolling dinner will be hosted by restaurants such as The Grange (with a full pig roast!), Chen Chow, Raven's Club, Silvio's Organic Pizza, Bona Sera, Zingerman's Creamery, Harvest Kitchen, Corridor Sausage, and so much more.

Our silent auction features items from Perpetua Boutique, the Rocket, and YogaWare; personal dinners and wine tastings from Lone Oak, the Grange, and Chen Chow Brasserie (learn how to make sushi!); a robot from Cre Fuller of Tin Angry Men; nutrition education from Kale’s Kitchen; artwork and restaurant gift certificates galore!

An outstanding community member, Linda Mealing, will be awarded this year’s ‘Sustainable Community Award.’ Linda is a long-time partner and volunteer to Growing Hope, mostly through her deep involvement in the New West Willow Neighborhood Association. Linda has served on their board and been a tireless community volunteer for many years. Growing Hope has partnered for several years in West Willow on the development of a community garden and facilitation of a nutrition and garden education summer camp. Past recipients of the Sustainable Community Award include Matt & Rene Greff, and Lisa Bashert.

New this year, we will be recognizing ‘Rooting for the Future’ contributors and issuing a community challenge to help us take that next step to root in and fully open our Growing Hope Center by the end of 2011. Once open, the Center, located on Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti, will feature a demonstration urban farm (already growing!), a commercial kitchen, tool and resource lending library, teaching space, and the Growing Hope offices. The donors being recognized have collectively moved Growing Hope $100,000 forward (in 8 short months!) in Phase II of our ‘Rooting for the Future’ campaign. In order to gain Certificate of Occupancy and be able to move into the Center, we need to raise another $100,000 by the end of 2011.

What: Hope’s Harvest

When: Sunday, August 28, 2011 from 3:00-6:00pm

Where: Growing Hope Center, 922 West Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti, MI 48197

Who? You.

To buy tickets, go to www.growinghope.net. Tickets are only available in advance; no tickets sold at the door.

As always, Growing Hope is dedicated to helping people improve their lives and communities through gardening and healthy food access, working throughout the community in a capacity-building approach. We firmly believe in engaging a diverse economic, ethical, and educational cross-section of Washtenaw county - and Southeastern Michigan! Our efforts in outreach are concentrated in parts of our community that are traditionally under-served and where people are struggling the most.