LEAF's History

LEAF began in 2008 when a group of Fremont residents, led by Bruce Cates, came together with a shared goal: to promote environmental conservation and connect people with nature and each other through gardening and hands-on learning.

After initially working with churches and on private land, LEAF officially became a nonprofit organization in 2010. In 2014, the team secured a lease from the City of Fremont and held a grand opening for the LEAF Center, LEAF's first community garden in Fremont’s California Nursery Historical Park, a site that quickly became a gathering place for local gardeners, families, and volunteers.

In late 2014, LEAF expanded to a second site when Dr. Chris Stone offered a long-term lease for land behind her Mission Valley Veterinary Clinic on the corner of Mission and Mowry. That space–originally called the LEAF C. R. Stone Garden–became the first urban farm in the Tri-City area, providing produce to local food banks and educating the community. 

In 2016 and again in 2018, LEAF collaborated with Alameda County Water District (ACWD) to lease two adjacent parcels of land, creating the LEAF Urban Farm, a 1.3-acre site focused on education, regenerative agriculture practices, and soil research. When the lease with Dr. Stone ended in 2024, LEAF vacated the C. R. Stone garden and relocated solely to the ACWD land. Later that year, the LEAF Urban Farm was recognized as a USDA People’s Garden for its leadership in sustainability and community engagement. In 2025, LEAF became an Environmental Partner of 1% for the Planet, a global network of thousands of businesses and environmental organizations working together to support people and the planet.

From its roots as a small neighborhood project to its two thriving Urban Gardens of today, LEAF continues to grow spaces that serve as living classrooms, soil science labs, and community hubs—empowering people to learn, connect, and grow together.

Want to get involved? Attend an event, volunteer, or donate.