Story in Brief
To support the homeless population in Macon-Bibb, the Brookdale Resource Center opened in January 2021. The facility has grown to not only house and secure housing for clients, typically 120-170 residents daily, it also provides programs that enrich the lives of those residents. The mayor identified Brookdale as a site to establish an urban garden to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement residents' meals. An innovative relationship between Bibb County Cooperative Extension, Macon-Bibb County Government, United Way, Bibb County School District and other community partners was formed to establish a garden at Brookdale. Bibb County Extension, with the support of Bibb County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers, developed the bed prototype, garden layout and planting plan. Materials were donated for 50 raised beds. FFA students constructed the beds, which were then delivered and set, and filled by Macon-Bibb Parks and Beautification. Fruits and flowers are in adjacent spaces. The Gardens at Brookdale opened in April 2023. Funding for two part-time employees was secured to manage the garden. Each Tuesday and Thursday morning, volunteers, including groups from GEICO, Mercer University Law School, Georgia Power, and Master Gardeners, and many others join to tend the garden. While this hands-on sweat equity provides numerous informal educational opportunities, classes were also organized. Extension staff and faculty have also been called upon for their expertise in food storage, processing, and preservation. Through September 2023, over 3,000 pounds of produce was harvested for the Brookdale kitchen. This includes, peas, beans, okra, peppers, tomatoes, corn, squash, strawberries, watermelons and sweet potatoes. As fresh produce was introduced into Brookdale’s kitchen, the average cost per meal fell from a high of $2.38 each in May. It is estimated that food costs were reduced by about $10,000 for the 23,263 resident meals served from June through September. The Brookdale Nutrition Manager noted, “Our garden has made our menu better, and we're excited to see what else we can cook up in the future." Several hands-on educational programs were offered, including a blueberry class, fall vegetable garden series, Southeast Pollinator Census and a program for the youth at Brookdale. To date, 149 volunteers have signed up to work through the United Way website and Bibb County Master Gardeners have volunteered 174 hours in support of the garden.
