Lend a Hand, Help a Child Grow.
Ithaca Children’s Garden is home to Tompkins County’s most progressive scholarship program, ensuring that no child is ever turned away due to financial limitations.
This year, the ICG community raised $55,000 to once again provide scholarships for over 100 local families.
For many families, ICG’s programs are more than just enriching experiences — they are essential childcare solutions. Tuition allows us to hire and train incredible educators, but it also creates a barrier for some families. The only way we can keep ICG accessible to ALL children is through community support — with YOU.
With your help, we’re growing a future where every child can experience the magic of ICG, regardless of financial barriers.
Parents consistently report that ICG ignites a love for gardening and a deep respect for nature and enhances confidence, social skills, and life skills. Don’t just take our word for it — explore the stories of impact below.
“During her time with the Playful Nature Explorers program, my daughter’s language skills blossomed. She has gained the confidence to communicate her boundaries to children and adults alike. She has learned how to play with other children and how to negotiate different personalities and, with consistent support from the PNE coordinators, temper her own responses to dissatisfaction. She is learning how to be independent and communicate when she needs help.”
-Excerpt from Stephanie’s Scholarship Story
“Because of ICG’s scholarship program, my child has received the best preschool education I could have imagined for her. She has made friendships with her educators that she will never forget. As a first-time parent, worried about my child’s entry into the educational system and how she would be received, it warmed my heart to learn that her teachers really loved her. They understood her so well and were there to guide, inspire, and build her confidence.”
-Excerpt from Marina’s Scholarship Story
“The idea of being outdoors in all weather, being kind, inclusive, and welcoming to all humans are all values that my children have learned from ICG.”
-Excerpt from Lara’s Scholarship Story
“My daughter gets to play in the dirt, rain, and snow, and has learned to express her own limits. During her time in Playful Nature Explorers (PNE), her language skills blossomed. She has gained the confidence to communicate her boundaries to children and adults alike. She has learned how to play with other children, negotiate different personalities, and, with consistent support from the PNE coordinators, temper her own responses to dissatisfaction. She is learning how to be independent and communicate when she needs help.”
-Excerpt from Stephanie’s Scholarship Story
Ithaca Children’s Garden is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. TIN: 52-2291247. EIN: 52-2291247 ICG’s mailing address is 1013 W. State St., Ithaca, NY 14850. (This is different than our Physical address: 121 Turtle Way, Ithaca NY 14850.)