Jordan Park Community Garden volunteer day brings community together

ST. PETERSBURG, FL (AUGUST 9, 2024) – The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) brought together residents of Jordan Park, youth from Job Corps, and community volunteers for a productive work day at the Jordan Park Community Garden on August 8th. Participants worked together to prepare the garden for the upcoming Fall planting season by distributing mulch and soil to raised planting beds.

The event featured a diverse group of community volunteers, including those from CAN Community Health, future homeowners from Habitat for Humanity, and St. Petersburg Distillery.

A highlight of the day was the unveiling of the new Jordan Park Community Garden sign, where SPHA President and CEO Michael Lundy played a key role in the ceremony. “The Jordan Park Community Garden is more than just a place to grow food; it’s a space for our residents to come together, learn, and strengthen bonds,” said Lundy. “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved here and excited for what’s to come.”

Attendees also admired the beautiful new garden mural created by Artist Catherine Weaver of Uniquely Original Art Studio. The vibrant artwork has infused new life into the garden, creating a welcoming and inspiring space for all.

Special thanks go to Nathan Gula of Gula Gardens, who has been instrumental in guiding SPHA through the next phase of improvements to the garden. He designed the garden layout and is currently growing hundreds of plants that will be planted in early September.

The event was further supported by Domino’s, which generously provided lunch for all participants.

The garden work day was made possible in part by a generous grant from AARP. SPHA was selected as a 2024 AARP Community Challenge grantee. The grant is being used to enhance the Jordan Park Community Garden, making it more accessible for the community. The project includes the construction of benches, an awning, and raised beds for growing healthy, free food. Additionally, SPHA will host workshops on sustainable gardening, cooking, and budgeting skills to further empower residents. The Community Challenge grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide work on livable communities, which supports the efforts of neighborhoods, towns, cities and counties across the country to become great places for all residents.

SPHA is proud to be the leading affordable housing provider in the city of St. Petersburg, serving more than 4,000 low-income households. SPHA’s mission is to provide safe, sanitary, accessible, decent, and affordable housing to eligible citizens of the city of St. Petersburg, while enhancing and promoting resident self-sufficiency.