What originally started as an internship for Lynn Casper’s public sociology class has launched a community initiative to make Northside Resource Center the location of Wilmington’s latest community garden.

The University of North Carolina Wilmington senior already had an interest in gardening, and after reading up on progressive cities launching successful community gardens and the social benefits, she jumped at the idea of starting some in the Wilmington area.

Casper’s job as the Community Gardens Coordinator was to reach out to local organizations and build relationships to form a collaborative project.

“Our goal in doing this is to create awareness that community gardens and green space in general are beneficial for communities. So when other communities are being developed, space will be included for more garden space,” she said.

The project began in the fall of 2006 when the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation helped the Wilmington Housing Authority fund the garden and nutrition program through the Obesity Prevention Initiative. The goal is to provide residents in public housing access to healthy lifestyles. The community garden came up as an idea because past research has shown that such gardens bring residents together. In addition, it gives them access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

The first public housing community garden was started last year at Sunset South. That garden had proved successful so the initiative wanted to continue in different neighborhoods.

Resident Ernestine Walker, who participated in cultivating the Sunset South garden, said the project has helped not only as a social gathering but also in keeping the residents physically active.

Randolph Keaton of the Wilmington Housing Authority, who oversees Casper’s internship, said projects like these are an excellent way to bring the young and the elderly working together.

“It gives the kids a sense of ownership and pride and teaches them to care for the earth and their community,” he said.

Eight-year-old Nicolas Baldwin and younger brother Jalen planted anxiously and said they would be back as often as possible to check on the progress of the garden.

Community Garden Initiative partners include The Wilmington Housing Authority, University of North Carolina Wilmington public sociology students and faculty, Healthy Carolinians Obesity Prevention Initiative, New Hanover County Cooperative Extension, Northside Resource Center, Food Bank, Kids Making It, Tidal Creek Cooperative Market. 

Source: Star-News, 2007