Waterloo’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths. We thrive through collaboration and shared vision – your gifts bring people together to make a difference in our community!
The Waterloo Community Foundation supported the transformation of Highland Park’s underutilized greenspace into a flourishing community garden through partnerships with Black Hawk County Public Health, the City of Waterloo, UNI CEEE, and the Highland Neighborhood Association.
ACCESS. The Highland Park Community Garden provides 60 plots for rent to residents, with 25% of the plots tended by Highland neighborhood families and the rest by Waterloo’s immigrant communities, including Congolese, Liberian, Hispanic and Burmese growers.
CULTURE. For many immigrants in our community, culturally relevant foods can be hard to find. The garden helps remove barriers by providing land, shared tools, and infrastructure.
FRIENDSHIPS. This garden has become a space where new friendships form and diverse communities come together with shared goals. Julie, a Congolese gardener and organizer, said, “It’s a dream come true! I didn’t know that this was a need and aspiration in my community!”
Thanks to the success of the Highland Park garden, the project expanded to include larger plots and a second community garden on the West side of Waterloo. The support of a $5,000 Waterloo Now Grant made it possible to build the infrastructure needed for these expansions.
We proudly support collaborative projects like this that create meaningful opportunities for everyone in Waterloo. Will you consider a gift to the Waterloo Community Foundation to fuel future initiatives like this?
Every investment in our community makes a lasting impact, not only today but for generations to come. Thank you for investing in the city we love!
Give today at https://wloocommunityfoundation.org/donate/.
