MorningSide Grassroots Garden Blossoms!

The new Grassroots Gardens sign was designed by Morningside resident, Jessie Devereaux. Image courtesy of Jim West

From blight to blossoms! I hope you've found or will find the time to visit the Grassroots Garden in MorningSide. You’re invited to see and enjoy the improvements thus far and know we're not finished yet!

We had a tremendous, COVID-19 safe, community beautification event with a FREE, organic produce giveaway on September 5th! A beautiful new Garden sign painted by Jessie Devereaux, more produce beds, a more manicured look, beautiful hydrangeas, and an overflowing Little Free Library site are a few of the key 2020 improvements we accomplished through a Wayne Metro Grant, Keep Growing Detroit donation, and an Ilitch Charities Volunteer Team! We have portable benches as well.

It was the close out of the 2015 MorningSide Board of Directors Term when I decided not to re-run for office, but to continue grassroots work in the community and the Grassroots Garden provided the opportunity in both name and need. During that same year, at a Motor City Makeover (MCM) assignment I spearheaded at the Grassroots Garden, I introduced myself to a new owner who had just purchased the previously more than 15 year abandoned retail space adjacent to the Garden. I was thrilled to hear that both occupancy was coming to this long forgotten and neglected space and that the Fish Market was going to bring a new, and likely well received, business to the neighborhood! I then made a personal commitment to bring the equally abandoned and desolate, former community garden space to an improved state to welcome the new neighbor and customers, and to reflect the MorningSide pride, though waning, I still had faith in displaying.

Volunteers from Ilitich Charities assist in sprucing up the grounds at Grassroots Garden. Image courtesy of Jim West

Taking on this task with neither gardening experience nor resources was driven by a significant leap of faith and strong belief that some other caring residents and neighbors in the community felt the same as I did and would show the true epitome of "grassroots organizing" come to life! This was quickly proven to be true when I reached out to supporters from that very MCM Clean Up Day. I applied for the Seeds & Plants gardening grant and became a member of the Keep Growing Detroit (KGD) Garden Resource Program, which enabled the move towards cleaning up and bringing back the green space.

To me, one of the essentials to grassroots organizing is to always make sure home is taken care of and prioritizing your agenda. It means, gathering and collaborating with other community-centered residents, businesses, schools, churches, etc., to accomplish things for the common good. As mentioned, when presented with the opportunity, the committed quickly responded! Subsequently, the pride and honor of the 2020 Grassroots Garden transformation is shared with a host of friends and neighbors who agree, we want and expect the best for our community!

The Grassroots Garden was reactivated in 2016 and is being progressively restored to provide FREE organic produce, healthy eating and health education in our community. In addition to the history, I actually want this article to serve as a Declaration of Thanksgiving to the workers! I give my sincerest THANK YOU and most heartfelt appreciation to ALL who contributed to and will continue to support the Grassroots Garden 2016 to 2020 and beyond journey to greatness! The Grassroots Garden transformation is the result of so many dedicated contributors sacrificing and donating extremely valuable time and skills. In the forefront of this effort and there from the beginning, in 2016, with me is Ms. Dorothy Johnson, contributing in every way; thank you Dorothy! Allyce Haney-Smith joined in Fall 2019 as a graduate of KGD’s Urban Roots Program, so she brought a wealth of knowledge and resources, writing grants and planting our first garlic crop, thank you Allyce!

Although the list is long (and please forgive me and charge it to my head and not my heart if anyone is overlooked, I truly appreciate every single contribution) I THANK and acknowledge all of the following dedicated garden partners who offered major and significant contribution along this 4 year journey:

• O’Dell Tate

• Dorothy Johnson

• East English Village Prep Academy (Angela Williams & Latrice Rogers)

• Wayne Metropolitan Agency

• Adam McDonald

• Nature’s Alternative Staff

• Sanaa Green

• Siobhan Gregory

• Monique Holiday

• Eddie Lester

• Hope Community Church - Growing Detroit Youth Talent Team

• Pastor Charles Laster II

• Salem Memorial Lutheran Church - Detroit Urban Retreat Center

• Pastor Oliver Washington

• Ulysses Jones

• Curtis Patton

• Bethany Lutheran Church - Vance Thornton

• Raymel Tyler & her AKA Sorority Sisters

• Allyce Haney-Smith

• U Snap Bac (Linda Smith & Jawana Jackson)

• Joshua Arnston

• Motor City Grounds Crew

• Gaston & Charon Nogues

• Jessie Devereaux

• Ilitch Charities

As we continue to grow and enhanced this space, I invite you to participate and support the work at the Garden! It's the concept of Give a Little Time, Take/Share A Little Food, and/or Take a Book, Share a Book at the Little Free Library. Assistance of any kind is welcome. For more information, you can reach us here.