Community Garden

The shelter’s garden has been secured for the winter.  For the fifth year in a row, 2100 Lakeside has been a part of OSU Extension’s Summer Sprout Urban gardens.  OSU provided starter vegetable plants, soil testing, hydrant permit and advice.  Outside volunteer groups worked with shelter residents on a one-time or ongoing basis including Key Bank, Hawken Middle School and City Serve.

Three outstanding gardeners, Paula Swiner, Susan Zacharias and Mike Ahern (of Working With Nature, Inc.), volunteered in the garden beginning with the first spring rains, through the intense sun of summer, to the final pulling of plants in October.  They worked with shelter residents John Wells, Chris May and Andy Batten, not only in our vegetable garden but also in the gardens adjoining the shelter.  Our East and West courtyards have raised beds of ornamental grasses, perennials, ferns and cosmos.

At the end of the season, 12 baskets of vegetables and flowers were assembled and delivered to neighboring businesses and shelter partners.  These gifts along with our frequent neighborhood clean-ups, are a part of the shelter’s “good neighbor” policy which together have made an imprint on the surrounding city blocks.

Today one shelter resident remarked, “I wish I had the garden to work in.”  He is dealing with a number of health issues, and the garden has been a way to calm his mind.  Gardening is a form of therapy for a number of residents.

If anyone is interested in helping out with next year’s shelter gardens, please contact Lydia Bailey, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 216-649-7723.