Growing Solutions: Rebuild Asheville with Community Gardens

Help Rebuild Asheville with Community Gardens!

Hello! Jonathan Roberts and Rivers Whittle here. We live in Western North Carolina, which was just ravaged by hurricane Helene. Jonathan is in Marshall, NC and Rivers lives in Black Mountain. I’m launching a project to bring sustainable community gardens across Asheville, starting with the Elderflower Community—a day care center for seniors who need a safe, healing space connected to nature. This project is more urgent than ever in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which left Asheville in need of a stronger food supply and safe, green spaces to gather and recover.

Our Vision

Our mission is to create resilient, food-producing community gardens across Asheville that nourish our neighborhoods, restore ecosystems, and foster connection. We’ll begin at Elderflower, building a model of sustainability, resilience, and healing that we can expand citywide. This first garden will be a sanctuary for the residents of Elderflower, creating a space where seniors can experience the therapeutic benefits of nature, while also strengthening local food resources.

Why Gardens Are Vital for Asheville’s Future

Hurricane Helene showed us how fragile our food systems can be. In the days and weeks following the hurricane, many residents were left without access to fresh food. By building sustainable gardens across Asheville, we’re working toward a future where every community has access to fresh produce, even during times of crisis. These gardens will improve food security, provide spaces for connection, and make Asheville more resilient to future challenges.

What We Need

To make Elderflower’s garden a reality—and eventually expand to other neighborhoods across Asheville—we need funding for:

• Cleanup costs to safely remove debris left by the hurricane.

• Gardening supplies: seeds, plants, soil, and sustainable materials to bring the garden to life.

• Tools and equipment for maintaining the space and making it accessible to all.

• Educational resources to empower the community to grow their own food and learn sustainable gardening practices.

How You Can Help

Every donation—no matter the size—will help us build a resilient, productive space for Asheville’s communities, starting with Elderflower. Once we reach our goal for this first project, we’ll use this model to create more gardens throughout the city, bringing food security, community connection, and green spaces to more neighborhoods.

Let’s Grow Asheville Together!

By supporting this project, you’re investing in a greener, more resilient Asheville. Each contribution brings us closer to a future where our city’s gardens nourish and sustain us. Thank you for believing in this vision and helping us rebuild Asheville into a stronger, more self-sufficient community.