At Northgate Senior Apartments, a community garden is doing far more than producing tomatoes and cucumbers — it's bringing neighbors together, one seed at a time.
The garden was made possible through a community investment from the Sylvania Franciscan Fund at The Community Foundation, awarded to Toledo GROWs, a local nonprofit dedicated to nurturing the joy of growing. Toledo GROWs supports more than 110 community gardens across the region, providing residents with the resources, soil and know-how to grow their own healthy food.
"Everybody should have access to gardening and the outdoors," said Sarah Ryley, executive director of Toledo GROWs. She points to the physical, mental and social benefits gardening offers, especially for seniors — from fresh air and sunlight to the simple joy of watching a seed grow into something you can share.
At Northgate, that vision took root under the direction of Roberta Jones, the community's activities manager. Toledo GROWs delivered the soil and materials, and Jones and residents built the garden beds themselves. For Jones, the work carries personal meaning — she recalls tending a garden with her mother years ago and has long believed in gardening's power to heal.
Deidra Lashley, executive director of the Sylvania Franciscan Fund, said Toledo GROWs stood out because of its commitment to helping community members grow into leaders, giving them the expertise and backing to create change in their own neighborhoods.
Ryley hopes Northgate's garden becomes a model other senior living communities can look to and replicate. As for Jones, her hope for the season ahead is simple: that the garden will be blessed, and that this fall, she and her neighbors will see the fruit of their labor.
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The Northgate garden is just one example of what's possible through the Sylvania Franciscan Fund. The fund is currently accepting grant proposals through August 15. If your organization has a project that aligns with its mission, learn more and apply here.