Community gardens sprout in Massillon – News – The Independent – Massillon, OH A group is working on setting up at least two community gardens in Massillon this year with plan to a dd a few more every year to combat the growing problem of food insecurity. James AME Zion Church Community Garden that organizers say should be ready for planting come spring.The Massillon Community Gardens, comprised of community leaders, gardening experts, Walsh University students, and others who have been meeting every month since the fall, has received one grant so far to get two community gardens started. A couple of other gardens may also get started this year or next year depending upon whether the coalition receives more grant money. So far, the group has received a grant for $3,774 through the Creating Healthy Communities program funded by the Ohio Department of Health to get the gardens started. The idea behind the gardens is to give people access to healthy affordable food. Coalition members and directors anticipate people will able to plant a variety of crops tomatoes, peppers, onions, kale, collards, beets, squash and corn.Lisa Benton, one of the directors of the coalition and special events and marketing supervisor at the Massillon Parks and Recreation Department, is credited with getting the ball rolling on community gardening in the city. While the coalition waits to find out about a discretionary grant through Stark Community Foundation, Benton said it welcomes any donations or volunteers to help with the gardens. To help maintain these gardens and start new gardens each year, the coalition is seeking two grants through the Stark Community Foundation: a planning grant for $15,000 and an implementation grant of $100,000. FOCUS ON FOOD SECURITYA study on food insecurity, which refers to access to affordable healthy foods, was commissioned more than a year ago by the Stark Community Foundation and shows this is a public health issue that is a rising challenge for local communities. “If you have a place to grow food, then you have food security,” said Dee Beyeler, who is a master gardener, and a director of the Community Gardens Coalition. Her husband, Les Beyeler, is a facilitator for the group and he said not only do community gardens provide access to healthy food, but the gardens create relationships, which lead to healthy communities.”We’ve sort of lost that art form in the last 50 years,” he said. I get to play in some dirt.”Page 3 of 3 – Gardening program at libraryThe Massillon Public Library offers a free Starting Seeds Indoors program 6 to 7:30 p.m. SW.Get involvedFor more information about volunteering, donating or becoming a community gardener in Massillon, call Lisa Benton at 330-832-1621 ext.