2026 Community Garden Program: Growing Health, Connection, and Resiliance

AHW is happy to announce that preparations for this year's community gardens program are underway thanks to our family support staff, Precious and Kaio! Since launching our community gardens program in 2023, we’ve seen firsthand how something as simple as a garden bed can make a meaningful difference in residents' lives and the local community.
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Today, the program includes 83 garden beds across 11 properties, creating vibrant spaces where residents can grow fresh food, build relationships, and support their social, physical, and mental well-being.

The community gardens program is a creative and tangible example of how AHW doesn’t just house people, but builds and invests in communities. Affordable housing serves a wide range of individuals, from minimum wage workers, young adults and families just starting out, people exiting homelessness, and seniors. Many of these individuals face challenges beyond housing, and benefit greatly from the stability, connection, and support that AHW provides.

For just one example, access to affordable, healthy food is a real challenge for many Vermonters. Due to rural logistics, transportation costs, and limited competition among large grocery chains, Vermont consistently ranks among the most expensive states in the nation for groceries (~$124/week for a household)… in the ranks with Hawaii, California, and Alaska. This is a widespread issue that affects residents across income levels.

The community gardens program helps address food insecurity in a sustainable way. The model revolves around community donations of starter plants every Spring, which then yield produce for the entire summer and fall. 

While the gardens were originally intended to improve access to fresh produce, their impact has extended far beyond that goal. Precious and Kaio have observed a growing sense of pride and joy among residents who participate in the gardens. Neighbors of AHW properties have shared appreciation for the vibrancy the gardens bring to their communities, and SASH coordinators, who are responsible for supporting residents' health at home, have noted the gardens’ positive effects on residents’ physical and social well-being.

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What began as a way to grow food has grown into something much deeper: a sense of ownership, belonging, and pride in where people live.

​As the program continues to expand, it serves as a reminder that small, thoughtful investments can have lasting impact. We are grateful to our donors, supporters, and residents who believe in the power of investing in communities, and who understand that affordable housing is the foundation for that growth to take root.

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