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Senior citizens in Hogansville will soon have a new source of fresh produce.

The Hogansville Active Life Center is partnering with environmental organization GaiaTribe to create a community garden on the plot of land next to the center’s building. 

“It’s definitely a great opportunity for the community,” said Renay Fannin, site manager for the Hogansville Active Life.

The garden will be maintained by participants of the Active Life Center, but community members are welcome to help maintain the garden and donate supplies as needed, said Stephanie Culver, secretary of the GaiaTribe.

The garden is targeted to help seniors 55+ to obtain fresh produce that may not otherwise be available to them, said Angie Bennett, board president of GaiaTribe.

“A piece to this is that people resort to processed and fast food out of convenience,” Bennett said. “A community garden could provide that source where people are coming together for a common goal and produce a sustainable food source.”

Another deep aspect for the garden will be to create a “community of unity” in Hogansville, Culver said. 

“At the same time, they’re working side-by-side, [and] there’s no barriers or awareness of racial or political differences … people can become more unified,” Culver said. 

For the time being, the garden is planned on raised flower beds and will only offer produce.

So far, the project has obtained a variety from community support, Bennet said.

Jenny Jack Farm in Pine Mountain has donated organic vegetable seedlings for the project, and Culver said she plans to add flowers as the garden grows.

GaiaTribe has put out a call for sustainable donations such as brick, cinderblocks and tires.

In the future, GaiaTribe would like to create a community garden for the public housing community adjacent from the center.

“We wanted to initially include the housing community … we really want to get the kids involved,” Culver said. “Getting them involved in something like that that’s growing and creating something could be beneficial to them as well.”

Groundbreaking for the garden will hopefully happen in a few weeks after samples on the ground’s soil is analyzed, Culver said.  To donate supplies for the garden, contact Culver at smculver2021@gmail.com.