El Paseo Community Garden

A Neighborspace garden in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood

El Paseo Community Garden is one of many Neighborspace protected and community managed spaces, maintained by volunteers and donations. Since 2009, the community garden has been enhancing the quality of life for Pilsen residents through community building, stewardship, conservation, placemaking, partnerships, programming, and community gardening. The converted brownfield site provides opportunities to socialize with each other, plant and grow food, play, or simply be outside and enjoy the wildlife and fresh air the native plants provide in the many gathering spaces provided. The garden sits along the public path and maintains the area between West 21st Street and West Cullerton Street (1.1 acre). The area includes native prairie restoration and monarch sanctuary, permaculture food forest, raised beds for allotment and collective gardening, picnic areas, outdoor classroom, and many seating areas. The garden serves as a public green space for the neighborhood, especially for the neighbors in the adjacent senior living and affordable housing apartments. The garden hosts stewardship days every Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm for residents to get involved.

El Paseo’s mission is to strengthen environmental stewardship and civic engagement while protecting equitable green space on behalf of the community. Our governance and leadership structure allows for anyone with a desire to make an impact to do so, growing not only healthy food, but community leaders as well. The outdoor space has become a community center and partner for anyone willing to share accessible community resources. Our goal is to Empower through Nature.

Your donation will help support maintenance of the space and help facilitate many free community events and programs. For more information on our events and projects visit our website www.elpaseogarden.org 

Though your donation will be earmarked for use only by El Paseo, it will show up on your bank or credit card statement as a charge to NeighborSpace, the nonprofit land trust that protects El Paseo and over 100 other community gardens across Chicago. It is through NeighborSpace's non-profit status and fiscal agency that El Paseo will be able to use your tax-deductible donation.

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN CREATOR

NeighborSpace is the only nonprofit urban land trust in Chicago that preserves and sustains gardens on behalf of dedicated community groups. We shoulder the responsibilities of property ownership — such as providing basic insurance, access to water, and links to support networks — so that community groups can focus on gardening. NeighborSpace-protected gardens give young and old alike an opportunity to get their hands in the earth and enjoy nature, right in their own neighborhoods.