News Releases

For Immediate Release

May 3, 2012

Contact:

John Ivanic, City Council, 645-6798

Scott Varner, Franklin County, 525-6638

Dan Williamson, Mayor’s Office, 645-5300

Community Garden Awards Help Neighborhoods Grow

Organizations selected to receive support for community gardening projects were announced today as part of a joint program made possible by Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus City Council, and the Franklin County Board of Commissioners.  Seventy-six applications were submitted to the grant program administered by The Columbus Foundation.

“These gardens increase access to local nutritious food, beautify neighborhoods and encourage community engagement,” said Mayor Coleman. “I am very happy to see new gardens being planted this season and existing sites thriving.”

Community gardens are good for the local economy, good for the earth, and good for one’s health. Community gardens provide economic benefits by saving costs to maintain parcels that are otherwise vacant land. Composting saves materials that would go to the landfill. Participants also feel better after spending time tending gardens.

 “Growing up on a farm, my family was fortunate to spend a lot of time together working in the garden and growing our own vegetables,” said County Commissioner Paula Brooks. “More than the flowers and vegetables that grow in these gardens, these investments provide a catalyst for neighborhood development, create opportunities for income, and stimulate social interaction throughout the community.”

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company donated all requests for soil, mulch or other materials from the seventy-six applicants. In addition, forty-three projects were chosen to receive monetary awards and access to educational programming through the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, made possible by support from the Institute for Active Living.  Bicentennial sponsor Fifth Third Bank and CleanTurn also provided significant support.

“It is exciting to see how this program has grown along with the gardens it supports,” said Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee.   “We started with a small handful of dedicated volunteers and corporate sponsors like The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company.  We have added to the partnership the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and new this year Fifth Third Bank and CleanTurn to support local investments totaling more than $100,000 in community gardens.”

Projects receiving monetary awards:

·       Threshold Community Garden (Epworth United Methodist Church)

·       Whetstone Student Garden (Whetstone High School)

·       Life Care Alliance

·       Stoddart Avenue Community Garden

·       Southfield Community Gardens (Southfield Community Missionary Baptist Church)

·       Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio Community Garden

·       Southside Community Garden (Community Development for All People)

·       Howard Recreation Center Community Garden (A&L Afterschool Literacy + Institute)

·       German Village Garten Club

·       Hope for Tomorrow Garden (CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence)

·       Dowd Gardens (The Homeless Families Foundation)

·       Growing Hearts & Hands Community Garden

·       Friends of Goodale Park

·       Living Vine Community Garden (Living Hope Free Methodist Church)

·       Love Zion Baptist Church Community Garden

·       MidGarden (Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resources Center)

·       Ganthers Place: Green N Things Garden

·       New Life Garden (Salvation Army)

·       Highland Youth Garden (Hilltop Christian Community Development Corporation)

·       Giving Hope Community Gardens (Rebuilding Together Central Ohio)

·       North of Broad Community Garden (Mount Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church)

·       4^th Street Farms (Godman Guild Association)

·       Eldon and Elsie Ward Family YMCA Garden

·       SKIP Community Garden #1 (Westside Youth Recreation and Education)

·       American Addition Community Garden (AmerCrest Improvement Group)

·       East Meets West Community Garden (St. Stephen’s Community House)

·       Lincoln Park Elementary School Community Garden

·       Urban Garden (North United Methodist Church)

·       Hilltop YMCA Community Garden

·       Franklinton Gardens

·       Promise Garden (Koinonia Development Corporation)

·       Success Organics Produce and Butterfly Garden (Black Entrepreneurs Networking Systems)

·       Huntington Garden in Schiller Park (German Village Society)

·       Otterbein Community Garden

·       Peace and Plenty Community Garden (East Baptist Church)

·       Gantz Road Community Garden (Emmanuel Chin Baptist Church)

·       Chin Community Garden (Emmanuel Chin Baptist Church)

·       Hoover Learning Garden (YMCA)

·       Groveport Community Garden

·       Chabad Friendship Garden (O.S.U. Chabad House)

·       Garden of Eating (Concordia Lutheran Church)

·       Cypress Wesleyan Church Community Garden

·       Smoky Row Community Garden (Smoky Row Brethren Church

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