Six members of Southern Connecticut State University’s Delta Phi Epsilon sorority rolled up their sleeves on Monday to build raised garden beds on a corner lot at 2 Garden St. in New Haven’s Dwight neighborhood. The project, funded by a grant from the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE) and supported by Greater Dwight Development Corporation (GDDC), gives a fresh start to Annette, a longtime gardener who was on the brink of giving up.
Community effort restores a neighborhood garden
Annette, who asked that her last name remain private, has been growing collard greens, tomatoes and Jamaican callaloo on the lot for years, donating much of her harvest to neighbors. Earlier this year, she faced repeated vandalism—vegetables were stolen or crushed, and she even collapsed from tears after a driver offered her water. “I said that’s it. I’m tired. I’m done,” she recalled.
When GDDC reached out with news of the new beds, Annette said, “I take thanks to Jesus, you saved my life. I was done.” Her grandmother’s rule—“Ask and you will receive. Don’t take”—guides her approach to sharing food.
Grant money and student labor make it happen
The garden’s renovation came together after CARE had leftover grant funds earmarked for healthy‑eating initiatives. Irene McGeachy of GDDC explained that CARE covered most of the lumber and soil, while GDDC supplied the remainder. The sorority members began work on Oct. 26, returned Monday to continue, and plan to fill the beds with soil in time for planting in late March.
Taylor McGeachy, a junior studying elementary education at SCSU and daughter of Irene McGeachy, said the students stayed past their scheduled 11 a.m.–1 p.m. shift, working until after 2 p.m. before heading to part‑time jobs. “We love giving back to the community, especially as Southern students,” she said. “We think we have so many opportunities on campus that it’s nice to give back the way that we’ve been given to.”
Looking ahead
The sorority chapter has about 13 active members, with 23 more set to join in two weeks. While the garden is not a public park, it serves as a space where Annette grows food to share with neighbors. She hopes next year’s tomatoes and collards will thrive, and she still swears by a TV‑taught trick—pouring milk on her plants. In the spring, three raised beds will be ready for planting.
Annette’s story underscores how faith, community service, and student involvement can revive a local resource, strengthen neighborhood ties, and ensure fresh, home‑grown produce remains on the tables of Dwight residents.
Original reporting: New Haven Independent — read the source article.
