Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) has awarded the Celo Faucette Community Garden at North Park a $3,000 grant through Nourishing North Carolina, a statewide community garden effort making local, healthy food more accessible to people across the state. In June 2011, BCBSNC launched the program in partnership with the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association (NCRPA) to create or enhance community gardens in all 100 North Carolina counties.
“This grant will allow us to expand our garden so we can provide fresh, local produce for more people in our community and encourage healthy eating habits,” said William Gattis, Director of the Mayco Bigelow Center at North Park. “We are proud to be part of the Nourishing North Carolina network. Our garden not only provides healthy food, it also provides a safe area for our neighbors to work together, share a public green space and be physically active through gardening.”
Located in North Park at 849 Sharpe Road in Burlington, the Celo Faucette Community Garden began in 2012 with only five plots. After a successful community building day, held on April 6, 2013, 15 more plots were constructed. Planned additions to the garden include fencing, a storage shed, a children’s play garden and an information board for gardening tips. This garden brings low-cost “farm fresh” vegetables to the tables of our community members, some of whom may not otherwise be able to afford the luxury.