Empowering Community Gardens: Our Commitment to Sustainability and Growth

At the Alliance, we take pride in our dedication to fostering thriving community gardens. In 2023 and 2024, we have demonstrated our unwavering commitment to sustainability and capacity building by providing essential support to our members.

We have facilitated the acquisition and distribution of approximately 4800 feet of 2″ x 12″ lumber for 160 4’ x 8’ raised beds and 212 cubic yards of soil (1/2 loam and 1/2 mushroom compost), a testament to our mission to empower community gardening initiatives, at the following garden locations:

Pastor Richard S. Brown Jr. (formerly Payne Avenue) Community Garden (Brown Community Garden)
Concrete Garden at 107 South Chestnut Street – 27 beds
Lennon-Seney United Methodist Church Community Garden – 23 beds
Rooted East – 10 beds
Phyllis Wheatley YWCA

Through our efforts, these 160 new raised beds have all been established in the 37914 and 37915 food desert area. These beds are now poised to make a significant impact on food security, producing an abundance of fresh produce for our community.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Knox Works for their invaluable assistance in assembling the 100 raised beds at the Brown Community Garden. Special thanks are also due to Payne Avenue Missionary Baptist Church for generously providing space for storage and assembly, as well as to Rosalyn Robinson, the Church Secretary, and Abraham Johnson, who opened and closed the fenced space, for their indispensable support. We also want to thank the folks at Hines Fine Soils, LLC, and George Brothers Excavation, Construction, & Fine Soils, LLC, for their courteous, prompt, and efficient delivery of the 212 cubic yards of soil to these 5 locations.

At the Knox County Community Gardens and Growers’ Alliance, we are committed to empowering communities, cultivating sustainability, and sowing the seeds of positive change. Together, with your continued support, we are nurturing a brighter future, one garden at a time.