JUstice and Affinity Garden
J&A Community
Garden
Community Sufficiency
Access to adequate food is not a luxury, it is a human right. Food security provides the means that a person needs to live a healthy and active life. Unfortunately, food deserts continue to be a problem to those living in urban communities throughout the United States. This has caused many people in urban communities to be impacted by food-related illnesses (diabetes, high blood pressure etc.) Limited access to affordable and nutritious food has created a need that must be met with innovative solutions. Across the nation, communities are becoming more community sufficient.
Self-sufficiency is of great importance, but community sufficiency is even more important. This is because it cultivates collective action and collective action creates community resiliency. This model of living allows individuals to achieve self-sufficiency through the community.
The Justice and Affinity Community Garden was formed with the concept of community sufficiency in mind. The 0.8 acre garden was once a vacant lot transformed into an escape from the chaos of urban life. It has become a place of health, community, and spirituality. The garden is located at 184 3rd St in Albany's south end. J&A Community Garden is a demonstration garden that encourages community members to get involved. Our mission is to create a positive safe space and create healthier communities. We also seek solutions to climate change through grassroots efforts based on education and resources for community members.
Want to donate to our mission? Just send us an email at the email listed below!
What we do?
Community Fun (Events)
The J&A community garden will host ongoing events throughout the year for families and people of all ages. Connect with us on social media and/or join our mailing list to stay informed about community events you may want to attend for a low-cost price.
("Eat to Live") Cooking Demonstrations.
Cooking demonstrations will often be held in the community garden, or indoors when the weather does not allow outdoor demonstrations. The purpose of our demonstrations is to encourage participants to grow, cook and consume fresh garden produce so that they can improve their physical and mental health. It is also a fun way to learn new recipes and create delicious life-giving meals! Participants will participate in cooking with other community members and enjoy their self-made meals iwith other participants.
Garden Workshops
J&A community garden turns the garden space into a learning experience through our "green living" program. We encourage families, students, and all community members to get involved. This program was created to help participants get a better understanding of how climate change affects the local natural environment and to gain the tools and resources needed to monitor, adapt, and mitigate these changes in a garden setting. We rely heavily on information from local master gardeners, elders who hold ancestral knowledge about gardening, and others in the community who are knowledgeable about how the environment interacts with human health.
