Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: The Mahoning River Corridor, the focus of this project, stretches approximately thirty-one miles along the Mahoning River from Lowellville to Newton Falls and consists of nine incorporated municipalities in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties, the central city of each county being the city of Youngstown and the city of Warren, respectively. Both cities have a strong network of neighborhood associations and community nonprofit organizations, the target audience for this project, and this network contributed significantly to the project’s success. Garden grants were given to individuals, church groups, community organizations, and neighborhood associations. This project has reached a diverse audience of residents, with a focus on the central cities of the two counties in the Mahoning River Corridor. According to US Census (2010), the city of Youngstown is 47 percent Caucasian, 45.2 percent African-American, 6 percent Hispanic, and 1.8 percent other. Youngstown’s unemployment rate is 13.9 percent, compared to the national rate of 9.4 percent. According to a recent study by Youngstown State University, the de-facto unemployment rate is approximately 30 percent and the unemployment rate for African-American males is approaching fifty percent. The city of Warren is also a diverse community, with 69.9 percent Caucasian, 26.6 percent African-American, 1.3 percent Hispanic or Latino, and 2.8 percent of residents identifying themselves as two or more races. Individuals and groups receiving grants were individuals, church groups, community organizations, and neighborhood associations. A significant number of residents are living at or below the poverty level within the nine-city target area. Recent census data estimates that over 25 percent of the population is considered to be impoverished, nearly double the national average of 13.5 percent. In the cases of Youngstown and Warren, nearly a third of city residents are living in poverty. Both Warren and Youngstown have been identified as food desert communities, according to a food system mapping assessment conducted by the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative in 2010. Though six full-service supermarkets are located within the city of Youngstown, 90.7 percent of the total population is located outside a half-mile supermarket service area. In addition, of those households without access to an automobile, 93.1 percent are located outside the half-mile service area. In Warren, there are four full-service supermarkets, but 60.2 percent of the total population is outside of the half-mile service area for these stores. The 12 gardens created through this grant this year will remain critical food production sites for distressed neighborhoods throughout the corridor for many years to come. Changes/Problems: There were no major changes to this grant. Signs took longer to design and install than expected, but the issue was resolved with no changes to grant activities. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? This year, community gardening workshops were held in both Youngstown and Warren, covering basic gardening topics and items of interest to urban growers. Workshops included basic gardening, troubleshooting your garden, dealing with pests and disease, and irrigation basics. In addition, classes for our urban farmers included social media marketing and pricing your products. The YNDC is continuing these classes, with urban farming trainings every other week through the winter months. Many recipients of the People’s Garden grants have attended ongoing class programming, and the YNDC will continue to support them in developing their ideas. In addition, many participants who were not awarded grants have given us feedback that the training and application process was very helpful in forming their project ideas. The application itself asks individuals to speak to neighbors of the project site, do research on site control, list what maintenance needs the garden space will have and who will complete the tasks, and think out a budget and timeline for the project. Many participants are planning on completing their projects slowly, even without grant support. The YNDC will continue to serve as a technical resource for these new gardens. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? In 2013 YNDC published the Vacant Land Reuse Resource Guide, which showcased projects that have been completed through our 2 microgrant programs and by other individuals in the community. The guide gives practical advice, Youngstown-specific information on topics such as permitting, and design ideas and considerations about new projects. This guide has been mailed to all past participants in garden programs, handed out to all individuals interested in new garden programs, and is available free in the YNDC office and on our website. In addition, educational signage was placed at all garden sites, which will be seen by neighborhood residents who pass by the gardens. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In early 2013, planning for the 2013 People’s Garden program was initiated, taking into account feedback from previous years. The application was edited slightly based on past responses and released publicly in early February. Three training workshops were held in Warren and 3 were held in Youngstown, with over 70 people attending the workshops. Eight groups took advantage of one on one help completing their applications, and 22 complete applications were received by the due date on March 15. A review committee was convened, with members from both Youngstown and Warren reviewing applications. Winners were chosen and notified in Mid-April, with 12 grants awarded. In addition, 6 gardening workshops were held in Youngstown and 6 workshops in Warren during the summer months. Many of the gardens this year created both positive changes in their neighborhoods and positive changes in the skills and knowledge of their participants. One of the most impressive garden projects was the Tod's Crossing Garden of Eatin', located in the central area of a senior living complex. Over 20 seniors and their families participated in the garden project, and over 60 received produce from the garden. The seniors benefitted from fresh air and exercise, as well as eating healthy foods. Composting at the garden also allowed the senior center to utilize yard and garden waste to build soils, rather than putting them in the landfill. Another unique project was the rejuvenation of a forgotten sugar bush at the Mill Creek Metroparks. The project is educating city residents about maple syrup production while creating and selling maple products to benefit the neighborhood association. Other gardens more directly addressed the challenges of vacant land in distressed urban neighborhoods. In Campbell, the Iron Soup Historical Preservation Society is undertaking a large scale grassroots renovation of a historical complex of cast concrete apartments, built to house steelworkers in the early 1900’s. Many project residents are low-income and in need of access to healthy foods. The project beautified a previously ignored central area of the complex, provided healthy foods for residents, and educated community members on the benefits of renewable energy technologies. A garden on the east side of Youngstown in a highly distressed neighborhood cleaned up a vacant lot and inspired neighbors to help maintain the entire street. The main gardeners also taught a community composting class.
Publications
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Coupland, Bob 2013. Groups Prepare New Gardens. Tribune Chronicle May 31. Accessed online from http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/588261/Groups-prepare-new-gardens.html?nav=5005
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Hastings, Madelyn 2013. Photos from July 20. The Vindicator July 20. Accessed online from http://www.vindy.com/photos/2013/jul/20/69945/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Mascio,Barbara "Tod's Crossing Garden of Eatin" National Church Residences, 2013. http://communities.ncr.org/filephotos/1/communities/documents/garden_of_eatin_slides.pdf
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
"Vacant Land Reuse Resource Guide" Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, 2013. http://www.yndc.org/sites/default/files/Vacant%20Land%20Reuse%20Guide%20Web.pdf
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Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In early 2012, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) began an outreach campaign to disseminate information about the new Mahoning River Corridor People's Garden Grant Program and to identify groups that would be interested in applying for microgrants. Groups and individuals were contacted by phone, mailing, and email, giving them information about the program and how to apply. The YNDC also created the microgrant application, with the goal to make it user-friendly and to walk applicants through the process of designing a project. Project application workshops were held in both Youngstown and Warren, walking applicants through the application through a powerpoint presentation and a discussion. Three workshops were held in Warren and four in Youngstown, including one that was scheduled only a few days before the application was due, for people who had last minute questions. A member of our staff and a member of a partner organization in Warren were also available to sit down with applicants and make sure that their applications were complete. A review committee was formed, made up of YNDC staff, local experts in vacant land reuse, and active community members from both Youngstown and Warren. During their first meeting, committee members reviewed the application process, received a scoring sheet based on the application, and received copies of all complete submitted applications. During a second meeting, the reviewers presented their scores, ranked the applications, then discussed each to determine the funding priorities based on innovation, community impact, and the potential of the site for community education. Project budgets were examined, and any unreasonable expenses were reduced. A site meeting was held with all winning projects, making sure that the recommended budget would allow them to complete the project. Following the site meeting, formal notification was released. Checks were sent the following week, with projects beginning May 1st. Ten projects were chosen during the first year of the program, with application open in nine municipalities. Five projects were in Youngstown, three were in Warren, one was in Campbell, and one was in McDonald. Seven of the projects were vegetable gardens, two were native planting gardens, and one was focused on wild birds. All gardens completed an end of project reporting form. In addition to the project activities, six gardening workshops were held in Youngstown this season, and six were held in Warren. Warren workshops were presented by Garden Resources of Warren, and covered basic community gardening topics. Youngstown workshops were presented by experts from local networks such as the extension, on topics such as tree pruning, rain gardens, and forming a community garden. Educational signs were designed by YNDC staff for each garden, on topics suited to each project including soil bacteria, raised bed gardening, season extension, and nutrition. Signs were created collaboratively by staff and gardeners, and are currently being printed. All signs will be installed by mid-December. PARTICIPANTS: Several YNDC staff members were involved in this project. Ian Beniston, PD for this project, provided oversight and direct management of the project. Liberty Merrill, Co-PD for the project, provided day to day coordination of all activities, including application development, training workshops, application process, awards, and project follow-up with groups. Several part time YNDC staff members were also involved in the project, including interns and several Americorps VISTA volunteers. These individuals did phone calling, direct mailing, assisted in coordinating workdays and training workshops, and assisted with development of garden signage. In addition, according to reporting forms, more than 250 volunteers and community members were involved in the grantee gardens. Several local nonprofit organizations were grantees in the project. Key project partners included Trumbull Neighborhood Partners, The Ohio State University Extension of Mahoning County, and the Mahoning River Corridor Mayor's Association. 12 community gardening workshops, ranging from 2-4 hours in length, were presented to organization staff and community members through this grant program. TARGET AUDIENCES: The Mahoning River corridor stretches approximately thirty-one miles along the Mahoning River from Lowellville to Newton Falls and consists of nine incorporated municipalities in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties, the central city of each county being the city of Youngstown and the city of Warren, respectively. A significant number of residents are living at or below the poverty level within the nine-city target area. Recent census data estimates that over 25 percent of the population is considered to be impoverished, nearly double the national average of 13.5 percent. In the cases of Youngstown and Warren, nearly a third of city residents are living in poverty. This project reached a diverse audience of city residents. While individuals were not tracked by racial background, particpants were representative of the area. According to US Census (2010), the city of Youngstown is 47 percent Caucasian, 45.2 percent African-American, 6 percent Hispanic, and 1.8 percent other. Youngstown's unemployment rate is 13.9 percent, compared to the national rate of 9.4 percent. According to a recent study by Youngstown State University, the de-facto unemployment rate is approximately 30 percent and the unemployment rate for African-American males is approaching fifty percent. The city of Warren is also a diverse community, with 69.9 percent Caucasian, 26.6 percent African-American, 1.3 percent Hispanic or Latino, and 2.8 percent of residents identifying themselves as two or more races. Both Warren and Youngstown have been identified as food desert communities, according to a food system mapping assessment conducted by the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative in 2010. Though six full-service supermarkets are located within the city of Youngstown, 90.7 percent of the total population is located outside a half-mile supermarket service area. In addition, of those households without access to an automobile, 93.1 percent are located outside the half-mile service area. In Warren, there are four full-service supermarkets, but 60.2 percent of the total population is outside of the half-mile service area for these stores. Citizens outside of these service areas, particularly seniors and disabled citizens, often rely on corner stores. While these stores are found in every neighborhood, they rarely stock healthy and nutritious foods, dealing primarily in alcohol, tobacco, and junk foods. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
While the impact of garden projects is long term and it is early to see full and measurable impacts, many groups realized benefits by constructing their projects. Several of the projects showed the benefits of educating young people in their gardens. In McDonald, 35 young women in Girl Scout Troop 344 built birdhouses and learned about why birds prefer different houses. The girls learned construction skills when helping build raised beds and horticulture skills when they chose the plantings for different areas of the site. The most immediate benefit of the project for the girl scouts was that they saw the community come together to help them complete the project. The mayor of McDonald was actively engaged in working with the girls to complete the project, and he contributed city workers to complete site leveling. Seniors from a nearby complex were also involved and enjoyed working with the children. The biggest initial impact cited by all of the garden projects was the community benefits of bringing people together to complete projects. The Campbell Pride Project was also especially impactful, as it involved several organizations and a local school. Children from the Campbell school district were able to plant, grow, and harvest fresh foods. They were encouraged to take home and eat fresh produce. In addition, the garden contributed fresh produce to the Second Harvest Food Bank, Neighborhood Ministries, and Campbell City Schools. The garden was also very attractive, and a welcome addition to an area that was in the rear yard of a now-demolished school. Many gardens were especially impactful because they were located on abandoned land in heavily impacted neighborhoods. The Central City Unity Garden in Warren was located on two lots near downtown Warren. The homes on those lots had been havens for criminal activity, and had recently been torn down by the city. The new garden, maintained by the neighborhood association, helped neighbors take pride in their street and encouraged project neighbors to beautify their own homes. The reporting forms gave us an insight into what was learned through the initial building phase of the garden. Nearly all gardens stressed that they had learned about how to manage a project and the value of having many people involved and providing input. This learning process was one of the goals of this program, as we developed it to increase the capacity and empowerment of neighborhood leaders to design and implement new projects. New community gardens serve as starting points for other neighborhood revitalization projects and help residents take control over their neighborhood spaces. All projects also stressed working with and involving children, either by beautifying an area that had foot traffic by children or by involving children in gardening. Many groups hope that their presence in neighborhoods will improve children's lives, help them learn about the environment, and help them make good lifestyle choices. The results of the reporting forms will help us guide and assist project winners in next year's round of microgrants.
Publications
- Guttersohn, Robert 2012. Applicants Sought for Garden Program. The Vindicator, January 23. Accessed online from http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/jan/23/applicants-sought-for-garden-pr ogram/ on November 30, 2012.
- Starmack, Jeanne 2012. New Community Garden Part of Campbells Pride Project. The Vindicator, June 27. Accessed online from http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/jun/27/showing-off/ on November 30, 2012.
- Runyan, Ed 2012. Urban Development Sprouts Up in Warren With Greggs Gardens. The Vindicator, July 22. Accessed online from http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/jul/22/urban-development-sprouts-up-in -warren-w/ on November 30, 2012.
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