Tapestry Farms to Receive Donation from Ascentra Credit Union

A local organization helping refugees will be able to offer additional assistance thanks to an $18,500 donation from Ascentra Credit Union. Tapestry Farms will receive the donation on Monday, February 24, at 3:30 p.m. CST at Ascentra’s Home Office, 2019 Grant Street, Bettendorf.“Ascentra’s investment in the work of Tapestry Farms is a testament to their commitment to making the Quad Cities a place where everyone, regardless of where they’re from, has the opportunity to thrive,” said Leslie Klipsch, Community Engagement Manager of Tapestry Farms. “It means stability for families, fresh food on tables across the QCA and a stronger community for all of us.”

Tapestry Farms helps local refugees with housing, education, work, transportation and citizenship. The nonprofit organization creates jobs, using an urban farm system, using 10 plots of land throughout the Quad Cities helping refugees to become farm specialists. They use regenerative farming techniques to grow fresh produce, which helps feed families resettled in the area. Extra produce and flowers are donated to local food pantries and the rest is sold at a farmers’ market or through a subscription service.

“With the rising costs of groceries and uncertainty about the costs of other everyday expenses for families, there is alignment between making smart money decisions and the work they do, helping people grow and eat their own food, thus promoting health and financial wellness,” said Linda Andry, President and CEO, Ascentra Credit Union.

The donation comes from grant funding that Ascentra previously secured for a revolving loan fund with the Esperanza Legal Assistance Center. The partnership offered low-interest loans to immigrants needing assistance to pay legal fees for their citizenship, but with Esperanza ceasing operations at the end of 2024, both entities decided to donate remaining funds to Tapestry Farms.

“Right away we knew they were the perfect organization to gift these funds,” said Andry. “Their mission utilizes the skills that individuals from other countries or different lived experiences have to offer while helping to feed families.”

Approximately 500 refugees have been helped by Tapestry Farms since Executive Director Ann McGlynn started the organization in 2017.

“The idea came from a deep awareness of the challenges refugees face when they arrive in the Quad Cities, especially the need for long-term support beyond the initial resettlement period,” said Klipsch. “Ann saw the power of urban farming as a way to nurture good health, but also create community, provide economic opportunity and offer stability and healing for refugee families working to rebuild their lives.”

The donation from Ascentra is expected to help continue that support and assist in expanding services.

“This investment from Ascentra will be focused on the direct investments we made in the lives of refugees, supports the work of our social services staff in the areas of nourishment and healthcare and supports our newly opened immigration legal clinic,” said Klipsch.

If you would like to learn more, you can call 563-265-0982 or find Tapestry Farms online at tapestryfarms.org.  You can also find them on Saturdays at Schwiebert Park’s QC Farmers’ Market in Rock Island between April and October from 8:00 a.m. to noon.