After a successful first year, the Chicago Summer of Solutions team is back and ready for more. In fact, we have been plotting it ever since we put our gardens to bed last October!

What we learned in 2011 will help us build up 2012 into an experience you won’t want to miss. In 2012, we will engage in projects such as:

• Expanding our urban yard share to include 3-5 additional vegetable gardens for use by low-income families
• Growing our children’s garden program and bringing the food into the kitchen for our first ever summer cooking classes
• Launching a worker-owned green infrastructure business to install rain gardens and other storm-water management features on public and private properties

About our team

Molly Costello is a second year Program Leader for LETS GO Chicago. As an artist, organizer, and a lover of the outdoors, she usually has her hand dirty in one project or another.

Peter Hoy has spent the last three years honing his skills as an environmental educator in the Chicago area. When he’s not in a garden, he is usually counting down the days until the last frost so he can resume outdoor activities.

Nell Seggerson is a first year program leader with Summer of Solutions. She is in her third year at Loyola University, where she is studying to be a high school history teacher. She is also involved in Rogers Park Food Not Bombs and Loyola Anti-War Network. Nell is originally from Columbus, OH.

Ben Tucker grew up in Indianapolis, where he was involved with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and Improving Kids’ Environment. He’s interested in music, comics, and urban history.

Gabriel Solis is a 21 yr. old History major, currently wrapping up his final semester at Loyola University Chicago.  Gabriel grew up in El Paso, Texas–a city on the US-Mexico border, which due to its desert ecology, is continually affilicted by drought and water issues.  These issues led him to become more interested in systemic-water conservation; a subject he hopes to explore through the “solutionary” method.  Gabriel is also a member of Food Not Bombs, a firm socialist and a silly human being.