Bring Floating Garden to life - Swale’s next chapter!

A floating food forest for public foraging, hands-on learning, and climate resilience. Free and open to everyone.

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Why your gift matters

Public food access should be a public good. Swale turns waterways into living, edible parks where people can learn, gather, and harvest fresh produce at no cost. Swale is a creative space that also asks people to dream, about a better tomorrow. Your support keeps this work public, practical, and within reach.

What your gift funds

·       Edible gardens on the water: perennial, culturally significant plants grown for public foraging.
·       Workshops & youth stipends — hands-on learning that connects food, water, and climate to daily life.
·       Safety & access — safety equipment, and ADA improvements.
·       Barge retrofit & movement — build‑out and the ability to show up where communities invite us.

Our 2025 goal & timeline

We’re fundraising to purchase, outfit, insure, and program the new Floating Garden barge. Every contribution moves this forward.

Timeline:

·       August 2025 — Barge purchase
·       Sept 2025–May 2026 — Build‑out and retrofitting
·       June 2026 — Public programming in Medina, NY
·       Early Fall 2026 — Voyage on the Erie Canal to NYC

Ways to give

·       One-time donation.
·       Major gifts & sponsorships (contact us).
·       In‑kind (plants, soil, lumber).
·       Tax-deductible via our 501(c)(3) sponsor (NYFA). You’ll receive a receipt for your records. [Donate via NYFA]

In Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, with your help, Swale is building out our second, more permanent barge. We’ve located the vessel in Western New York on the Erie Canal. Help us with these initiatives and with designing and building a permanent floating food forest to launch June 6, 2026 on the Erie Canal in Medina, NY.

Donate Today
 

  • A: Yes. Donations go to our nonprofit, NYFA, a 501(c)(3). You’ll receive an emailed receipt for your records. If you give by check, we’ll send a written acknowledgment.

  • A: Yes. Recommend a grant to New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) for the benefit of Swale / Floating Garden. Please include our project name in the grant notes. If your DAF portal needs details, email studio@marymattingly.com.

  • A: Yes. We can accept domestic and international wires via NYFA. Email studio@marymattingly.com to receive the routing details.

  • A: Yes. Many employers will match charitable donations. After you give, submit the match request through your employer’s portal. If they need verification, we’ll happily provide it.

  • A: We recognize donors online and onboard at certain levels. You can also give anonymously—just tell us in a note.

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