Oakland City Community Garden 3.35

The goal of this project is to enhance and improve our community garden and shed. This project will be an ongoing opportunity that will get residents involved in community service, teaching them how to cultivate land and at the same time teach them how to plant, grow and harvest fruit, vegetables and herbs which will help to feed their families. We desire to encourage health and wellness as a component to making life style changes. Each year residents will be encouraged to come out and participate in this gardening program. We are partnering with elementary, middle and high school students giving them the learning experience in agriculture during the school year and over the summer months. We plan to expand the garden to feed more families this year.

The second part of this goal is to beautify the front area of the property with flowers and shrubby and then paint and restore the vacant facility on this property. Doors need to be replaced. Shelves and closet space is needed to store equipment and supplies and the floor needs to be redone. The roof needs to repaired. The building needs much infrastructure. We plan to turn this building into a training facility where the community residents can learn more about nutrition, cooking classes and how to can, preserve and store all harvested produce.

We have partnered with a team of master gardeners from HABESHA who are supporting the sustainability of our community garden. Our financial support has come from city council members, state representatives, Love Your Block and Neighborhood Fund Grants. In-kind donations OCCO members, neighborhood associations, local construction company and community tool bank.