The Giving Gardens celebrated a record-breaking year of community involvement. AmeriCorps service member and volunteer coordinator Whitney Fowler recently shared how local volunteers have transformed the way the organization manages their gardens and connects people across McDonough County.
“Last year, we had a total of 400 volunteer hours, which was a lot,” Fowler said. “But it pales in comparison to this year – so far, volunteers have donated more than 1,500 hours!”
This growth in volunteer engagement represents a major shift in how The Giving Gardens operates. In previous years, staff members alone maintained all of the gardens. Now, volunteers manage more than half of the garden space, gaining hands-on gardening experience and helping to build a model that will be replicated in new communities.
The Giving Gardens manages nine gardens throughout McDonough County where anyone is invited to harvest fresh vegetables, herbs, berries, and flowers, in addition to large production gardens west of Macomb. Teams of volunteers managed public-access gardens at Lincoln School, Wesley Student Foundation, and Eisenhower Tower in Macomb, as well as sites in Bushnell and Colchester. At the production gardens, volunteers harvested produce twice a week and deliver it to the Western Illinois Regional Council’s (WIRC) Good Food Pantry, Macomb Food Cooperative, and The Giving Garden’s Share Space at First Presbyterian Church at 400 E. Carroll St.
According to the Independent Sector’s value of volunteer time, the hours contributed so far in 2025 equate to more than $51,000 – a vital contribution at a time when funding remains a challenge for many nonprofits.
“We’re so grateful to live in a community where so many great people are willing to devote their time and energy to helping us serve others,” Fowler said. “Our volunteers are living proof that The Giving Gardens is truly a community-driven effort.”
The Giving Gardens continues to welcome new volunteers who want to learn, connect, and make a difference. For more information or to get involved, contact [email protected] or visit www. givinggardensforall.com.
