community garden and peace garden

Both gardens are part of Dear Neighbor Ministries. Located side by side, adjacent to the Dear Neighbor Ministries offices, both gardens benefit people living in the Hilltop neighborhood and beyond.

The Community Garden and Peace Garden had their beginnings in a partnership among the Great Plains Earth Institute, Via Christi Community Mission Services and the Sisters of St. Joseph.

The Community Garden which began in 1997, consists of fifty garden plots and raised garden beds. For a small annual fee to help cover the cost of water and the use of garden tools, anyone in the community may reserve a plot for the summer growing season. Many residents of the low-income Hilltop neighborhood gather here to work in their vegetable gardens and chat with their neighbors. ComCare mental health patients and their mentors also tend a garden plot. Residents of Sheridan Village--a residence for low-income seniors-- pre-schoolers from Hilltop's Head Start program, a Girl Scout troop, and a Rainbows United pre-school group also have gardens.

Planning began and ground was broken on the Peace Garden in 2003. The small park-like area is continuing to evolve as volunteers plant trees, add landscaping and make other improvements. The Peace Garden is intended as a gathering place to encourage a sense of community; a safe place for StepStone families to find respite and for Hilltop neighbors to relax and socialize. A shaded patio and a sheltered picnic area provide a place for people to meet or hold special events.

For information or to reserve a plot in the Community Garden, please call 316-684-5120.