Beautification. This makes the community a more pleasant and relaxing place to live in and improves the value of surrounding real estate.

Reduced crime. Research shows that the presence of community gardens result in decreased vandalism, littering, and crime.

Food security. Community gardens can increase the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables – especially important in areas with limited access to grocery stores and farmers' markets.

Environmental improvements. In urban areas, gardens add to community green space, which can reduce stormwater runoff and provides habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.

Economic benefits. Community gardeners can supplement their incomes by selling produce from their plots.

Improved health. Gardening has been shown to contribute to participants’ mental and physical health.

Community Gardens on School Grounds

Schools are often physical and logistical centers in communities. The difference between a school garden and a school-based community garden is that community members are more than just school volunteers: They’re actively engaged in the organization, planning, decision making, and day-to-day maintenance of the garden. Beyond the benefits listed above for school-based community gardens, you’ll also have:

A broader support network. More people mean more networking connections – especially important when you’re seeking funding and donations of supplies.

Many hands. There will be more people to maintain the garden – a big help when school is out of session.

Intergenerational connections. Through positive interactions, adults and kids develop mutual respect.

Security. More eyes on the garden, especially when school is closed, decreases the likelihood of theft and vandalism.

Parental involvement. The community garden is a place to spend family time. It also gives parents who aren’t comfortable volunteering in the classroom or coaching sports another option for getting involved in their children’s education.

Getting Started

1. Get administration permission. There can be a number of challenges to starting a community garden on school grounds. Are individuals allowed to be on grounds after hours? Are gardens accessible? Is there water available? Is safety a concern? Your first step should be to find out your school district's policies on use of school grounds and have your idea approved by administrators.

2. Engage your community. Schedule brainstorming sessions, offering multiple times and dates to attract individuals with different schedules. Advertise meetings at local restaurants, businesses, and in newspapers. Send notes home with students and e-mail appropriate contacts. Ask local organizations to include an announcement in their newsletters. Get the word out as widely as possible. These initial meetings can help you gauge community interest. Does your community want a garden? Is there enough interest to begin a garden and keep it going? How should it be organized? What would you want to plant?

3. Organize your group. Dream big as a group, but also elect a smaller committee to be responsible for guiding the project. Members must be willing to take on specific responsibilities and share the load because planning a community garden is too much for one person. The folks at Common Ground recommend that you have at least 10 families committed to your project for successful implementation and to ensure sustainability. This planning committee can later transition into a body responsible for overseeing the garden and keeping it running.

Here are some great resources to guide you through the process of starting a community garden:

Community Garden Wizard
Common Ground Community Garden Start Up Guide
Starting a Community Garden ( American Community Gardening Association)
Friends of Burlington Gardens

Success Stories

Starting a school-based community garden is certainly no easy feat, but it can be a very rewarding experience. Click here to read first-hand accounts of successful programs:

Roosevelt Public School
Sunrise Elementary School
Putney Central School

And here are lessons for involving your students in the process:

Exploring Community Gardens
Seedfolks

 

Students Thrive in a Community Garden Izzi Greenberg of the North End Action Team (NEAT) in Connecticut – a winner of a 2008 Mantis Award – shares the following about their community garden program: The Erin St. Garden has become a focal point of the neighborhood, enhancing the beauty of the surrounding blocks and turning what was an overgrown, garbage-strewn lot into an oasis in this urban neighborhood. Residents from the surrounding blocks have become active participants in planning the site and have served as active gardeners and ambassadors. Others see the garden as a success, as well: a realtor selling a house across the street listed the garden as a selling point, something that he had never done in his many years as an agent! Surrounding neighbors have become active in keeping the area clear of litter and are vigilant about maintaining the garden’s beauty. The garden has fostered social interaction in a once isolated neighborhood, increased community planning, and enhanced the structure of the neighborhood. Youth participants offered these thoughts on the project: “NEAT is a ‘community organizer.’ It helps to clean up the neighborhood and provides safe, supportive places for kids to play and meet people. If I wasn’t involved in NEAT and sports I’d probably be into gangs and drugs and all that.” - Jerod “NEAT’s garden became a subject like the weather this summer - one could talk about it easily with anyone. I could encourage others to participate without wondering if they were for or against it. Who could be against growing fresh food? When I happened to be in the garden working often people would stop to talk. It was a great ice-breaker that led to other conversations, forging new bonds within our neighborhood. Having a community garden opened the door for countless new relationships to develop - a unifying factor that will grow, we hope, for years to come. It's a way for us to learn together, help each other, and work with together for the common good. Plus it looks and feels so much better than an empty lot.” - Anne-Marie “NEAT’s garden project is just the best tool for building a community. It gives everyone something to do . . . somewhere to invest their energies. We all benefit from the nourishment, and our common purpose creates a tangible North End experience." -Stephen

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