Due to a generous grant from the Tri-County Health Department, community gardens are scheduled to open this spring at Anythink Commerce City and Anythink Perl Mack. The grant funds are part of the $10.5 million, two-year grant that Tri-County received as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative, which promotes healthy living in communities across the country. The library district received a grant of $75,000 to fund the project. 

Anythink has partnered with Denver Urban Gardens to develop these community gardens at the two libraries. Community members are invited to sign up for plots that they will maintain throughout the growing season. As part of the Anythink Garden Project, the libraries will hold programming on gardening, nutrition and cooking. Community volunteer workdays will also be held this spring, where residents are invited to help work on the gardens, building raised beds and creating pathways. Dates for the community volunteer days will be announced in the next month.

“This is one more way that Anythink libraries have established themselves as community gathering places,” says Anythink Public Services Director Ronnie Storey-Ewoldt, who is spearheading the Garden Project. “Not only do we want to promote ideas and creativity, but through these gardens our libraries will also promote healthy living and sustainability.”

 To reserve a plot at an Anythink garden, fill out the Anythink Grows plot form and send it to Deborah Hogue at dhogue@anythinklibraries.org or Anet Martinez at amartinez@anythinklibraries.org.