Solidarity Gardens CU

Solidarity Gardens supports gardeners that grow food at home or in community gardens to grow a little extra and share it with those most in need in our community. We leverage the giving spirit of countless Champaign-Urbana residents - longtime garden pros with expertise to share as well as new gardeners who are interested in learning to plant, tend, and harvest gardens all across town - and help to get local gardeners’ produce into the hands of folks in need through our partnerships with local food banks, advocacy groups, and neighborhoods.  

We believe that collaborative gardening can help feed our neighbors, teach useful food production skills, and build community.  

Since its inception and thanks to amazing community support, Solidarity Gardens has expanded its network to include 77 gardens—including 17 community gardens which donate fresh vegetables to local food pantries, and 60 free garden plots for low income, SNAP eligible, and immigrant families—as well as 4 produce donation sites, a shared tool library, educational workshops, and a free seed library, all to not only grow and distribute thousands of pounds of fresh produce annually but to also foster strong community connections and resiliency in the face of food insecurity. We support the most vulnerable in our community, including low-income and immigrant families, offering the opportunity for everyone to cultivate their own food and strengthen community ties. During recent years, we have also seen the increased need for access to gardening through a growing demand of our Free Garden Program, and we continue to work to expand our programming throughout Urbana-Champaign in response to this. Through these efforts, Solidarity Gardens continues to build a culture of mutual aid, food justice, and sustainability in Urbana-Champaign.  

We warmly invite community members to join us as volunteers, gardeners, and advocates. Whether you have a green thumb, time to lend, or enthusiasm to share, your involvement is vital to sustaining this work and ensuring that no neighbor goes hungry. Together, we cultivate more than food—we cultivate hope, connection, and a healthier, more equitable community.  

To learn more and volunteer, check out our website at: www.solidarity-gardens-cu.org