The goal of the program is to give people in difficulty the chance to grow their own fruit and vegetables to put food on their family’s table. Under the auspices of this program, support is given to the efforts of industrious non-profit organizations to involve and help people in difficulty, who are nevertheless enterprising and active members of their community, to help themselves by doing work that improves their quality of life.

 

2025 projects

This year, the highest number of participants since 2017 will take part in gardening projects. With support from the foundation, 31 non-profit organizations will provide at least 1,015 households with seeds, seedlings, and the necessary tools. By participating in these projects, people will grow food with their own hands for the well-being of themselves and their families.

As part of these initiatives, at least 2,945 individuals — both adults and children from all regions of Latvia — will be involved in gardening activities. A total of 31 projects will be implemented: 7 in Kurzeme, 10 in Vidzeme, 6 in Zemgale, 7 in Latgale, and one project will cover the Selonia and Latgale regions. This year, the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation has allocated €59`350 in grants for this program.

Organizations receiving support distribute seeds, seedlings, and gardening tools to project participants for planting in gardens owned either by the individuals themselves or by the organizations. Participants also receive advice from specialists and gardening enthusiasts to help them grow a rich and high-quality harvest.

The gardens will be cultivated by people with disabilities, seniors, and low-income households, groups for whom gardening offers a way to improve their financial situation. Organizations report that interest in these projects continues to grow, especially due to high utility costs and rising food prices, which motivate people to seek practical and sustainable solutions for meeting everyday needs. The projects also have a unifying role, as the children and relatives of the participants involve in the work, too. In addition, many donate part of what is grown to social centers, soup kitchens, or people who cannot take care of themselves. Thus, participants have the opportunity to also give rather than receive.

The summary of supported initiatives is available in Latvian: “Projects Supported in 2025”.

Since the launch of the “Do it yourself for YOUR FAMILY TABLE” program in 2017, its activities have reached more than half of Latvia’s municipalities and state cities. Including the 2025 projects, a total of 171 gardening projects have been supported, involving 5`480 households and a total of 19`815 residents. Through this program, the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation has allocated €326`415 to support the population.

 

2024 projects

Although in the spring it was planned to involve 825 households in the fund's program "Do it yourself for YOUR FAMILY TABLE", the results turned out to be more excellent - 950 families, covering 3`700 people, got involved in gardening projects and were working diligently. This is the largest number of households involved in gardening projects in one year.

8 projects were being implemented in Kurzeme, 9 in Vidzeme, 6 in Zemgale, 4 in Latgale, and 1 project of the "Ziedot.lv" Foundation covered the whole of Latvia. In 2024, the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation awarded in grants EUR 54`415.

On average, each family is responsible for tending 400 square meters of land. Most frequently, families choose to grow potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, beetroot, and cucumbers.

Read more about the results in the INFOGRAPHIC "Harvest in 2024".

 

Projects of the previous years

In 2023, 30 non-profit organizations involved 903 households in gardening projects. Since 2017, this is the largest number of organizations and households that grew food for themselves and their families.

Organizations involved 3,450 people - adults and children in all regions of Latvia. 9 projects were implemented in Kurzeme, 9 in Vidzeme, 5 in Zemgale, 6 in Latgale, and 1 project of the "Ziedot.lv" Foundation covered the whole of Latvia. In 2023, the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation awarded the largest amount of the program in grants so far - EUR 61,915.

Read more about the results in the INFOGRAPHIC "Harvest in 2023".

 

In 2022, support was provided to 23 non-profit organizations, that wanted to involve people in the gardening work, so they can provide food for themselves and their families.

Active people were involved in gardening work - 814 households in 23 counties and 4 cities. 7 organizations in Kurzeme, 7 in Vidzeme, 3 in Zemgale, and 5 in Latgale participated in the program. People from the regions of the respective organizations participated in their projects. On the other hand, the Ziedot.lv project covered the whole of Latvia. The Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation awarded grants in the amount of EUR 42,900 to these works.

Read more about the results in the INFOGRAPHIC "Harvest in 2022".

 

In 2021, 20 non-profit organizations received the support of the program. These involved local people in gardening works. 7 projects were supported in Kurzeme, 5 - in Vidzeme, 2 - in Zemgale, 5 - in Latgale, and 1 project that covered the whole of Latvia. The Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation has awarded grants for these works of more than 35'000 euros. 

Read more about the results in the INFOGRAPHIC "Harvest in 2021".

 

In 2020, 12 non-profit organizations received support. They implemented projects in their regions, involving active people in 17 municipalities. 5 projects in Kurzeme, 4 projects in Vidzeme, 1 project in Zemgale, and 2 projects in Latgale were supported. Although in the spring the organizations planned to involve 250 households (800 people) in agricultural work, the results have turned out to be more excellent - more than 350 households, covering more than 1250 people, participated in the projects; the majority - large families.

Read more about the results in the INFOGRAPHIC "Harvest in 2020".

 

Also, in the 2019 project competition, 12 non-profit organizations received support. 3 projects in Latgale, 2 projects in Vidzeme, 3 projects in Zemgale, and 4 projects in Kurzeme received support. Although at the beginning of the year, the organizations planned to involve 206 households (800 people) in farming, the results were more impressive. In 2019, 287 households participated in the projects, covering 1 101 persons, including 467 children.

Read more about what has been achieved in 2019 in the "Harvest in 2019" INFOGRAPHIC.

 

Previously, in 2017, support was provided to 15 organizations, which distributed seeds, plants, and gardening accessories to families in 21 districts that find themselves in difficulty to enable them to do horticultural work to provide food for their family table. 436 families were involved in the gardening work, comprised of 1,581 people, of whom 778 were children.

More detailed information - is in the "Harvest in 2017" INFOGRAPHIC.

 

This program continues the work done under the “Support for Participating” activity that was part of the “A Piece of Bread” program (2013-2016). Under the auspices of this activity, a total of 2`500 people took part in a total of 28 projects, growing fruit and vegetables to put on their family’s table or earning additional income to meet their family’s needs. Learn more about examples of successfully implemented projects in the following video stories: