Description
Clayton Williams Community Garden is a beautifully landscaped vegetable, fruit and flower garden right in the heart of Harlem USA. It is one of 14 gardens that is permanently protected under The Manhattan Land Trust. The Manhattan Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that embraces the family of 14 gardens which were established by gardeners to support and sustain community gardening throughout Manhattan. Our collective mission is to preserve, improve, and promote community managed open spaces for the benefit of all.
What is an Urban Land Trust? Urban land trusts protect rare and precious open space in America’s cities--forever. Manhattan Land Trust maintain community-owned green spaces in neighborhoods where there are few city parks or other open land. The 14 community gardens offer a place for neighborhood residents to grow vegetables and flowers, serve as community gathering spaces, provide safe areas for children to play, offer gardening and nutrition workshops, and host neighborhood celebrations such as holiday barbecues and harvest festivals. Deed restrictions guarantee that they will remain undeveloped and in community hands forever.
Our History All 14 gardens were slated for sale by the city in 1999, which would have led to their certain demolition. Today these 14 vibrant, thriving gardens are manged by the Manhattan Land Trust. Clayton Williams Community Garden has been a part of its community for over 20 years!
Moving Forward Clayton Williams Commuinity Garden and the Manhattan Land Trust believe that NYC’s neighborhoods should be healthy and safe places to live, where residents have the ability to grow their own food and maintain green spaces where they can relax, play, and celebrate. The challenge facing us is becoming sustainable nonprofit organizations, with effective governance and the ability to raise funds for operations and special projects so that the gardens grow and thrive forever.
