1. 1. November 2008- July 2009 Volunteers from the Presidential 2008 campaign stayed in the community and listened to what would be the challenges significant contributions to the community, beyond charity. We contributed to events organized by community organizations, participated in civic associations and NPU-L meetings until we got a sense of what could be our most effective impact. We identified Urban Agriculture as a response to disinvestment and disempowerment, a new path to wealth, health and productive life. Aware that Vine City is the cradle of the civil rights movement, but did not receive the visibility it deserved, our belief was that Urban Agriculture would stimulate community building if we adopted a grass roots approach to our work. So, in July 14 2009 we began the planning of HISTORIC WESTSIDE GARDENS (HWG) and presented it to the NPU-L for approval. HWG incorporated in August 2009 and two residents joined the HWG Board to provide community guidance and input.Spring 2010 Following this NPU-L approval, James Arpad offered us the opportunity to break ground on his properties and to use 280 Elm Street as our storage facility for a Garden Club. It became our training ground. We broke ground in June 2010:
2. 2. Summer 2010 Historic Westside Gardens obtained a grant from FACAA (Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority) as part of the Stimulus. The goal was to train ten residents of Vine City/English Avenue who had low income or were jobless to choose urban agriculture as a self-help opportunity (five residents from each community, equal number of males and females). They received a stipend, a meal a day, and transportation. HWG partnered with Truly Living Well (TLW) to provide theoretical and hands on training at East Point TLW site.During the training, the residents committed to work weekends to establish their training ground in the neighborhood. The last three weeks of their training they established the site:
3. 3. October 2010 Graduation! The ten residents completed the 60 days training and celebrated together with Councilmember Ivory Young (who presented graduation diplomas), and NPU-L officers , and FAACA, bringing pride to their families and to the community. At the celebration, HWG presented its vision to the community: A network of farms and gardens to give the trainees an opportunity to grow food and improve their living conditions. A central piece of this vision is to have the community regain the twelve acres green space in front of the Elm Street training ground as an urban farm. (Coincidentally, two days later in London, Rodney Cook brought the idea to use the 12 acres for the Mims Park and Urban Farm to Mayor Kasim Reed and Councilmember Ivory Young. We learned of this because Mr. Young called us at HWG from London and asked us to send him our presentation).
4. 4. Winter 2010 Meanwhile, five graduates joined together and planned how they would use the training ground to develop a farming business:They maintained the garden they planted. Others participated in gardening/environment projects in their respective neighborhoods, some focusing on growing at residents home gardens.HWG mobilized resources to provide the five community farmers and those who worked elsewhere in the community with seeds, tools and some assistance (such as introduction to GED courses, phone bills, etc). The winter was harsh. Historic Westside Gardens is not a farm and they needed to find ways to sustain themselves. They found other occupations or looked for jobs but could not continue with the farming project. The HWG Board learned, reflected, and refocused on its core mission: to train residents to see urban agriculture as a path to change their lives and develop self-help and new career. The next step was to open a new cycle of application based on plot allocation of land. The Board reaffirmed its commitment to empowerment and community building.
5. 5. Spring 2011 Some graduates applied for plots to develop their own mini farm/garden. Each one committed to a number of hours a week and to collaboration. HWG provided water, seeds, tools, storage, land and guidance. HWG recruited an expert volunteer to coach the applicants. Three lots were worked during the year 2011-12.
6. 6. Winter 2011-2012 At a community meeting, the farmers presented their experiences. The Board and the community learned about their personal growth, the freedom they had to explore what to grow and what to do with their produce. Some told the community that they did make money by selling their produce and the impact this experience had on their life. TRANSFARMING life.Spring 20102 J.R Murphy became the HWG Community Farming Coordinator. He took over the site and HWG reached out to Atlanta Community Food Bank volunteers to begin the 2012 season.
7. 7. HWG developed the model of care for farmers empowerment and entrepreneurship for the community: While continuing to recruit trainees to take advantage of vacant lots, HWG developed its model of community farming entrepreneurship. Looking at the farmers as the center of a local food economy and community development, HWG encouraged J.R to expand his business. Besides working on the HWG training site, J.R received support to develop gardens in residents homes. Senior citizens welcomed him and a productive relationship developed. (See survey results below). The HWG Board allowed J.R to stay at the site. Many of the trainees faced technical homelessness during their training.
8. 8. HWG: Love for the community and care for the least of these Thanksgiving 2012The HWG Board and volunteers prepared a thanksgiving meal for residents, feeding more than 200 hundreds residents. This year we will provide more produce coming from HWG training site. HWG developed a relationship with the neighborhood caf and provided it with seasonal produce. This relationship continues to the present.
9. 9. 2012-2013 building community based coalitions for Food Justice and Food Security: The HWG mission to focus on community based, resident-centered farming led us to engage in the development of food justice and the local food economy. In harmony with our goal to create a network of farmers, farms and gardens to improve food security, we reached out to other initiatives in and out of the community. First and foremost we worked with the Mims Park Urban Farm development as the natural opportunity to increase our capacity building and training initiatives, develop options for residents to access the local food economy on a broader scale, and implement a cooperative/entrepreneurial model. Following our participation in the food and farming assessment conducted by Atlanta Metro Food and Farming Network (a program of Eco Action) HWG assisted residents and obtained a grant from the Neighborhood Fund (an initiative of the Greater Community Foundation) to build on the results of this assessment. An HWG Board member leads this unique process involving three neighborhoods that will establish a coalition for food and farming in the Choice Neighborhood area. HWG is a founding member of the Fertile Crescent-Atlanta Food Commons steering committee that seeks to establish a food shed in the area delimited by sections 10 to 2 of the Beltline. The food shed will include food hubs, acquire lands, and provide financial tools. Food Commons is a national initiative. HWG has joined other neighborhood residents and organizations to develop a community based project: a park on the Proctor Creek in English Avenue. HWG presented FLOW2prosper, a program to prepare residents for the opportunities offered by the local food economy and environmental health concerns. The Vine City Civic Association accepted the program to be a component of its request from the community benefits coming out of the new stadium. Meanwhile, HWG reached out to Integrity Transformation CDC to develop program that includes classical workforce development and local food economy preparedness. HWG is currently conducting a community survey to more fully understand the community desire for healthy food - home and community grown - and their preferences and challenges. This will help direct our action plan.Looking ahead, we see a bright future of collaboration to significantly increase food access and healthy nutrition in the community. At the core of our efforts is the care and respect for the community: to give residents a voice to claim good food and good jobs.