Gardening with the Common Ground Garden Program
Since 1978, UC Cooperative Extension's Common Ground Garden Program has made gardening possible for many Los Angeles County residents, particularly low-income and traditionally underrepresented families. The program goals are to improve nutrition; increase access to fresh, low-cost produce; offer gardening education; build bridges between neighbors and communities; help create employment opportunities; and encourage a cleaner, greener Los Angeles.
Families learn how to garden, grow their own food and prepare it in a healthful manner. In addition, the program trains community volunteers and Master Gardeners, who in turn, volunteer their time to community and school gardens.
In 2011, 236 Master Gardeners volunteered 14,909 hours, serving 132,363 low-income gardeners in Los Angeles County at 271 locations: 97 community gardens, 106 school gardens, 16 homeless and battered-women's shelters, 9 senior gardens, and 43 fairs and farmers markets.
For more information on our programs (including the Grow LA Victory Garden Initiative and the Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program) and gardening events throughout Los Angeles County, please join one (or both) of our e-mail lists.
Programs: Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program & Grow LA Victory Garden Initiative
Contact Information: Yvonne Savio, Program Manager, (323) 260-3407, ydsavio@ucdavis.edu
Got Gardening Questions?: (323) 260-3238, mglosangeleshelpline@ucdavis.edu
To view our brochure, go to Program Brochure.