Three-year partnership to expand reach of Boston's community gardens

Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced a three-year partnership between the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics, The Trustees, and TD Bank to expand the reach and highlight the role of community gardens in Boston's neighborhoods with community-driven design projects, community-building events, and skill-building workshops planned for up to 40 gardens.

In the first year, the City will seek ideas for  innovative design installations at three community gardens including: The Trustees' Nightingale Community Garden in Dorchester, Chilcott & Granada Community Garden in Jamaica Plain, and the Fenway Victory Gardens, owned by Boston Parks and Recreation and administered and maintained by the Fenway Garden Society. The installations may support community dinners, storytelling and community conversations, performances, and interactive play. In addition, The Trustees will hold 10 community-building events and skill-building workshops at its community gardens in Dorchester, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Mission Hill, Roxbury, and the South End as part of the partnership with the goal being to allow the Trustees to expand garden programming by nearly 40% with larger community-building and wellness programs. (There are more than 20 activities through Seed, Sow & Grow that bring people together for skill-building workshops and events at City Natives in Mattapan and throughout Boston. You can find a list of community-building events and skill-building workshops here.)

"I am proud that Boston is home to more than 10,000 gardeners and 200 community gardens spanning 50 acres across our city," said Mayor Walsh. "This City is lucky to have great partners like The Trustees, TD Bank, and dedicated members of our community to help advance the state of our public spaces by incorporating community driven design projects like this. Together, with our communities, we are making Boston a place where the gardening community can flourish."

Over the next three years, the program aims to engage and enhance up to 40 community gardens in six neighborhoods in Boston, including the following:

• El Jardin de la Amistad, Roxbury

• Eagle Hill Community Garden, East Boston

• Berkeley Community Garden, South End

• Southwest Corridor Community Farm, Jamaica Plain

• Windermere Community Garden, Dorchester

• Paul Gore & Beecher Community Garden, Jamaica Plain

• Worcester Community Garden, South End

• Mission Hill Community Garden, Mission Hill

• City Natives, Mattapan

• Woolson Community Garden, Mattapan

TD Bank will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Boston Community Gardens partnership, granting a total of $225,000 over three years.

"TD Bank is committed to creating a more vibrant planet and enhancing urban green spaces that bring the community together," said Mark Crandall, Regional President, Southern New England, TD Bank. "As a company with deep roots in Boston, we are excited about our partnership with the Mayor's Office and The Trustees of Reservations to enrich our community gardens. Together, we expect this three-year collaboration to provide Boston with an array of cultural, educational, and environmental programs in gardens across the city for all people to enjoy."

"We are excited to partner with TD Bank and the Mayor's office to create these unique community-focused experiences in Boston community gardens," said Vidya Tikku, General Manager for The Trustees' Greater Boston region. "We have a long history of working with public and private partners here in the City of Boston and around the state to advocate for green spaces and expand urban gardening, education, and community-building. This partnership will enable us to offer neighborhood residents new and creative ways to gather, learn, and enjoy our community gardens."

About the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics

The Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics in Boston serves as the City's innovation incubator, building partnerships between internal agencies and outside entrepreneurs to pilot projects that address resident needs.

About The Trustees

A steward of distinctive and dynamic places of both historic and cultural value, The Trustees is the nation's first and Massachusetts' largest preservation and conservation nonprofit. As the largest owner of community gardens in the city, The Trustees operates 56 community gardens located throughout eight Boston neighborhoods. The organization holds events and programs throughout the year designed to connect residents to the land, gardening, and community building, including the Annual Gardeners' Gathering and the Seed, Sow & Grow workshop series. Supported by members, friends, and donors, The Trustees' 116 statewide natural and cultural sites welcome millions of members, residents, and visitors each year.

About TD Bank

TD Bank is committed to driving positive change that enriches the lives of our customers, colleagues and communities. In support of our mission, TD recently launched The Ready Commitment, which is targeting $1 billion by 2030 toward community giving, in order to maximize our impact in supporting financial security, elevating the quality of our environment, creating opportunities for everyone to participate in their communities, and supporting more equitable health outcomes for all. To learn more about The Ready Commitment, visit  https://newscenter.td.com/us/en/news/2018/introducing-the-ready-commitment. To learn more about TD Bank, visit www.tdbank.com.