Target Hunger has 16 community gardens that are producing an average of 300 servings of vegetables per months in peak growing months.  Gardening is the most cost efficient means of procuring nutritious food.  Most Target Hunger community gardens are composed of raised beds that are filled with enriched soil for high production and easy maintenance.  The first crop of vegetables from a new community garden costs one-third the wholesale price, and thereafter, the production cost is one-tenth the wholesale price.  Because the harvesting and distribution is done at peak ripeness, the vegetables have higher nutritional content than those purchased at grocery stores.  Plus the old adage of teaching one to fish applies here, as people learn to garden for themselves.

Property owners loan the land for Target Hunger's use for the Community Garden Program.  Residents from the Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens area, as well as neighbors from across the Houston community, volunteer to work in the gardens.  Target Hunger's largest garden, the Kashmere Garden, has 30 raised beds, a fruit orchard and composting bins and was featured nationally on PBS television. Three of Target Hunger's community gardens are sponsored by local senior citizen groups.  Seven of the gardens are stationed at area schools, in this partnership the gardens are used as an educational tool and a vocational training instrument for special education students.  Target Hunger also has a community garden located at a neighborhood clinic that has several beds in higher positions that allow senior citizens in the day program to participate in gardening activities.  Three gardens are housed and maintained by facilities for delinquent boys.  Corrections officials use these gardens and other Target Hunger gardens as vehicles by which these young men may learn and apply life skills while giving back to the community.
                                                                                                                                                                      
For more information on the Community Gardens Program and/or volunteer opportunities in our gardens, please contact Lola Millard at (713) 226-4953 or lmillard@targethunger.org. 

 

 

TARGET HUNGER GARDENS

1.  AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
    COMMUNITY GARDEN      
2.  BURNETT-BAYLAND SCHOOL
    COMMUNITY GARDEN                          
3.  COMMON GROUND COMMUNITY
     GARDEN                                                    
4.  EL SHADDI COMMUNITY GARDEN                                                                                5.  FRESH START COMMUNITY GARDEN                                                         
6.  HESTER HOUSE COMMUNITY GARDEN                                                     
7.  KASHMERE COMMUNITY GARDEN                                                             
8.  KASHMERE HIGH SCHOOL
    COMMUNITY GARDEN                
9.  LANGSTON/KINGWOOD GARDEN CLUB
     COMMUNITY GARDEN (2)
10.  PEAVY CENTER COMMUNITY GARDEN                                                      
11.  SCARBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL                                                                     
12.  DEAN COMMUNITY GARDEN
13.  DOGAN COMMUNITY GARDEN –
      TO BE CONSTRUCTED
14.   SCIEK COMMUNITY GARDEN –
        TO BE CONSTRUCTED