On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, Alliance members came together at its offices at the Shora Foundation Roots Collective (2425 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue) for a powerful membership meeting centered on an issue requested by our members: public safety. This roundtable was led by two of our community partners, the First Aid Collective Knoxville (FACK) and Hellbender Harm Reduction, who generously shared their expertise and facilitated discussions about how we can better prepare ourselves and our communities for challenges that arise in public garden spaces.
During the meeting, participants engaged in situational demonstrations, practical safety tips, and open Q&A sessions with our guest facilitators. The conversation highlighted the importance of equipping Alliance members, gardeners, and volunteers with the skills and awareness needed to respond to emergencies, foster safer environments, and build networks of mutual support. This meeting underscored that public safety is not only about crisis response, but also about prevention, compassion, and care for one another. We are grateful to FACK and Hellbender Harm Reduction for leading us in this timely and meaningful conversation, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen safety practices across our gardens and communities.