The beginning

In early spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic closed down many opportunities for people to gather and socialize. At the same time, the disruptions exacerbated food insecurity. 

Jason Gilman, the city's Director of Planning and Development, worked with several other agencies and organizations to develop four new neighborhood gardens to make food, exercise, and socialization more healthy and accessible. Coulee Region Ecoscapes built the gardens with cardboard and locally supplied compost and wood chips. The city and volunteers provided seeds and plants.

One garden was an addition to the city's established Kane Street Community Garden. The other three were new. Volunteers showed up to help plant and maintain the gardens, and neighbors were invited to help and harvest what they needed for a family meal. Excess produce was donated to La Crosse's Hunger Task Force and other food access agencies.

Planting the first Aptiv victory garden.