Row-by-Row (previously 11 Oaks and Buckets of Rain) was founded in 2006 by a couple of horticulturists after learning of the work of Chapin Living Waters in Malawi.

Chris and Susan Skellenger founded our non-profit to follow the Chapin example and improve food security among the poorest of the poor. First in Africa and then Central America. Working closely with in-country hosts, we introduced bucket kit drip irrigation and other culturally appropriate innovations to grow food where previously not thought possible- such as when rainfall or access to land was, at best, limited.

In Detroit, from 2012-2020 we grew over a million servings of vegetables for homeless shelters and our neighbors. Our main garden- “Big Glen”- contained 800 raised beds (parts bins donated by General Motors) on an abandoned parking lot the size of a football field. Read more about Buckets of Rain in Detroit.

We cleaned up trash, mowed the overgrown fields, established water connections, and partnered with like-minded individuals and businesses. The result was 31 cleaned-up abandoned lots, dozens of new inner-city gardens and two acres of Detroit grown vegetables.

Through this effort, we were able to provide nearly 150,000 servings of fresh vegetables per year for the homeless and hungry in Detroit/Highland Park. Volunteers came from schools and businesses and provided over 4000 hours of service per year. Buckets of Rain was recognized as one of Detroit’s most impactful non-profits by Quicken Loans on several occasions. Ford, General Motors, and Mitch Albom’s Charities also lent much needed financing, material, and labor to our work.

In 2020, the Detroit Rescue Mission reclaimed the donated one acre space so they could rent it for storage to a utility company.

Our task of providing free fresh vegetables to homeless shelter kitchens thus successfully completed, we moved our 800 raised beds and 600 yards of compost to other community gardens in Detroit.

It took us 2 months to dismantle this gigantic urban garden but our legacy of food production for the poor and homeless lives on with great new partners and Row-by-Row’s focus turns to supporting their work.

It was a great run in the Motor City. We also thank Newpark Resources, the Detroit2Nepal Foundation, Cherry Republic, the Flerlage Foundation, Baywear, and many more businesses and the thousands of volunteers who helped make it happen. Now, onward and upward!