Four community gardens began to emerge in Fall River in mid-June 2009 thanks to the hard work of a number of volunteers who have a vision of fresh vegetables available to low and moderate income City residents. St. Luke's Church and the Church of the Holy Spirit have offered some of their property for use by local residents in establishing garden plots in the Niagara and South End Neighborhoods of the City. The Fall River Housing Authority has partnered with YouthBuild of Fall River to construct a raised bed for use by senior citizens in the Doolan Housing Development. And, Bristol Community College is partnering with community members and organizations to establish an organically-maintained community garden at the Fall River Campus. Produce from this garden will be distributed to local food kitchens and other charities. Grants from Wal-Mart, Citizens-Union Savings Bank and BMC HealthNet Plan have paid for shed materials and rototiller rental. YouthBuild Fall River has provided labor to construct the sheds and a raised bed at the Doolan Apartments. Volunteers from CD-REC and Massachusetts Promise performed the bed preparation. Click here for information about the Healthy City community garden project and here for a presentation on plant and seed selection. For further information about the St.Luke's garden, contact Rev. James Hornsby at 508-672-6607, for the Church of the   Holy Spirit garden call 508-672-5571 or office.hsfr@verizon.net, for the Doolan Apartment garden contact Joe DaSilva at 508-675-3527, and  for the BCC project contact Peter Schuyler at 508-678-2811, Ext. 2214.
 

(Top row) Massachusetts Promise Fellow Brendan Sullivan and CD-REC Program Director Jamison Souza use a Roto-Tiller to transform space across from St. Luke's Church on Warren Street and property on Almond and Middle Street owned by the Church of the Holy Spirit into community gardens. (Middle row, right) Fall River YouthBuild students construct a raised garden bed at the Doolan Apartments on Mitchell Drive. (Bottom row, left) Dennis Silvia, Jerry Sousa and Frank Lebeau of Columbia Towing deliver sheds constructed by YouthBuild to the Doolan Apartments and Bristol Community College community gardens as Ray Gove and Terry Moran watch. (Bottom row, right) Bristol Community College Director of Building and Grounds Joe Dessa and Peter Schuyler of the Division of Mathematics, Science and Engineering, are happy to see the shed in place for the community garden at the South end of the campus.