Facing cuts to aid, Gahanna residents find a way to grow their own produce

GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) -- Several Gahanna organizations are coming together in an effort to increase residents’ access to produce. Through a grant worth upwards of $7,000 from the city of Gahanna, a local food pantry created community gardens.

“We are trying to help our clients become more self-sustaining,” GRIN Executive Director Brenda Johnston said.

GRIN, which stands for Gahanna Residents In Need, created the food pantry program by choosing 18 families in need to care for their own garden plot. What was once an empty plot of land next to the pantry is now sprawling with tomatoes, herbs, lettuce and more.

“It’s a commitment. I mean it’s not just a 'hey, we’re planting then we harvest in two months.' They have to water, weed, and seed,” Johnston said.

Each family had to apply and go through an interview process to make sure they were ready to take on the responsibility. She said the program has only been possible through community collaboration.

“What we had the chance to do was especially provide some of the supplies to get things going and then also seedlings because a lot of the best plants that people can grow you have to kind of think about starting that well before you’re actually really going crazy,” Gahanna Community Congregational Church Pastor Robb Tabb said.

The Garden for All also donated seedlings and other supplies.

“These plants are enormous. I’m so proud of the people growing their own community garden plots and I hope they’ll be able to take what they’ve learned and be able to grow even more,” The Garden for All executive director Marci Leveillee said.

Gahanna Recreation & Parks helped build the bins that house the gardens and are providing the water supply.

“People are looking for spaces to garden. Sometimes people are in multifamily units. And they don’t have the ability to garden at home. So this gives them the opportunity to get outside and have some space to get their plants in the ground,” Forestry Superintendent Julie Predieri said.

This comes at a time when GRIN is seeing less produce deliveries due to federal and state funding cuts to food banks. Johnston said it’s made a big difference that many families are now producing it on their own.

“They’re already harvesting," Johnston said. "And with the economy the way it has changed, the changes to SNAP benefits they’re able to come in here and harvest the food as it is ready."