One of the poorest neighborhoods in Peoria has a wealth of resources available through the Garden of Hope located at St. Ann’s Catholic Church. The garden grows flowers and produce for the community, hosts educational classes, and collaborates with community partners to provide a variety of resources. U of I Extension partners with them through SNAP-Education, Master Gardener, and community and economic development programs. Pictured at right are Extension Master Gardeners Jane Mottram and Mike Brooks (who is also the OSF garden coordinator); SNAPEd staff Rebecca Crumrine and Julie Dantone; and Extension County Director Earl Allen.
Photos by Anita Wilkinson
OSF St. Ann’s Garden of Hope OSF St. Ann’s Garden of Hope is set in the middle of one of the poorest zip codes in the nation, not just the state of Illinois. The community garden is in the middle of a food desert and not only helps provide fresh produce but also offers a place of peace and community.
In 2019, funds were received that allowed for the removal of 24,000 square feet of blacktop and to build 120 raised beds. The following year the garden expanded to include seven empty, adjacent city lots. The garden is now two acres and provided over 9,000 pounds of food in 2021.
The garden was started in 2014 by OSF nurse Mary Ann Burk who attended St. Ann’s Catholic Church, located in the Southside of Peoria. By 2018, the garden and the vision had grown to the point that OSF hired Mike Brooks as the community garden coordinator.
The food from St. Ann’s Garden of Hope is handed out free each Wednesday during harvest season. The leftovers are distributed to five area food pantries.
“My job was to grow produce for the community,” said Mike. “In addition to growing food I was to help educate and involve the community in the garden.”
The Extension SNAP-Ed team has also gotten involved in the garden by providing education via classes, recipe cards and fact sheets, and signage.
About that time, Extension Community and Economic Development Educator Kathie Brown connected the garden with landscape architecture graduate students from the U of I College of Fine and Applied Arts. Students were given the mission to design improvements and an expansion to the garden.
“It took a while to build relationships with the people who came to the garden,” mentioned Julie Dantone, SNAP-Ed instructor. “Once I gained their trust, they came to my Healthy Cents classes and participated enthusiastically. I already have classes scheduled for the spring of 2022.”
In 2019, Mike completed the Extension Master Gardener training and is regularly joined in the garden by fellow EMG Jane Mottram and others.
2021 YEAR IN REVIEW FULTON, MASON, PEORIA, TAZEWELL 17
