Private gardens in public spaces. Community gardening: The struggle to empower individuals and build community

Community gardening has traditionally been viewed as a "self-help" activity designed to help participants end their reliance upon emergency food assistance programs while empowering them to gain a greater degree of control over their food source. Through a case study of a community garden, this study investigated the benefits of community gardening and in particular whether participation results in gardener empowerment.; The study revealed a conflict between the goals and assumptions of the organization administering the program and the actual experiences of participants. The study illustrates that programs that espouse an empowerment agenda must provide resources and opportunities for skill development that meet the needs and expectations of participants. Most importantly, they must provide opportunities for social action in which participants eventually gain significant and meaningful control over the initiative's resources and decision-making process. By doing so, individuals can attain a real increase in social power and self-determination.