Mission
The Marcia A. Phifer Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity, was established in 2010 to perpetuate the life-long values of Marcia A. Phifer, a noted educator and Master Gardener. The Foundation’s mission is to enrich people’s lives by promoting the creation, preservation, improvement, and beautification of gardens.
Goals
We support the efforts of college-bound students who have an interest in gardening and are seeking a degree in such fields as environmental sciences, horticulture, aboriculture, botany, conservation, and other related areas. Since 2011, we have awarded scholarships to applicants who are seeking bachelor’s or associates degrees at an accredited institution.
A second objective involves our active support and partnership with community-based organizations by:
- Providing instruction on healthy gardening practices
- Assisting in land use and garden related activities
- Leading lectures, workshops or demonstrations which encourage healthy gardening practices
“The lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others, is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives.”
Gertrude Jekyll
History
Marcia A. Phifer was the oldest of five children and she grew up on a farm in North Carolina. Her grandmother introduced her to gardening when she was about four years old. Marcia was given a small patch of dirt for growing plants and vegetables.
As the years passed and Marcia had homes of her own in the United Kingdom, North Carolina and New Jersey, she always managed to find space and time to cultivate vegetable and flower gardens.
With a college degree in English, she taught in high schools until she earned her Masters degree in speech pathology.
With a college degree in English, she taught in high schools until she earned her Masters degree in speech pathology. She believed in the power of education and enjoyed gardening during her free time. After retiring as a Speech Pathologist, she completed the necessary course work and became a Master Gardener.
In 2009, she became very ill a few weeks after Mother’s Day. She passed away three days after being diagnosed as having an aggressive form of acute leukemia. Her unexpected and sudden death caused many family members and friends to feel a profound sense of loss.
To focus on her life and what she accomplished, several family members and friends formed the Foundation to support the types of activities she promoted – education and gardening.
Formally created in 2010, the Foundation offered and awarded its first scholarship to a high school senior seeking a degree in a field related to environmental science, such as sustainable agriculture, botany, or horticulture in the spring of 2011. In May 2015, the first scholarship recipient successfully graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in horticulture focusing on hydroponics which involves growing plants in a nutrient water-based solution without soil.
Marcia A. Phifer Foundation has been acknowledged for work undertaken to reach our organizational mission and objectives. In September 2012, we received a Community Partners Program Grant from Wells Fargo Bank so that our foundation is able to continue to fund college scholarships and partner with community based organizations. We are proud of the opportunity to continue “enriching lives through gardening.”
If you would like to obtain more information about the Marcia A. Phifer Foundation, please contact us at info@mapfound.org