Help Grow Phase Two of the Grant Street Community Garden

At 805 Simmons Street in Durham’s historic Hayti District, neighbors are turning an overgrown lot into a garden where people can grow food, share knowledge, and spend time together.

Phase One has taken shape through the hands of neighbors and volunteers. Together, we’ve cleared years of overgrowth and built raised garden beds, a storage shed, picnic tables, and a Little Library & Resource Center. We’ll celebrate this first phase with a ribbon cutting on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Now we’re ready to build what the garden needs for the years ahead.

What Phase Two will fund

We’re raising $30,000 to install a new fence and a reliable irrigation system, along with other infrastructure and materials needed to make the garden welcoming and sustainable.

The quotes we’ve received estimate approximately $8,875–$10,545 for a fence and $11,412 for irrigation. That is roughly $20,300–$22,000 for these two major improvements. The remaining funds will help cover related site work, materials, and costs that arise as we move from estimates to installation. We’ll confirm pricing and share updates as the work progresses.

Durham Community Land Trustees has identified an additional $4,500 that could be contributed toward infrastructure and irrigation, and we are in conversation with a potential donor about further support. Your gift will help us turn those possibilities and plans into lasting improvements.

A garden shaped by the neighborhood

This garden is being developed by the Grant Street Community in partnership with Monument of Faith Church and BLK South. Residents have helped imagine a space with fresh food, flowers, places to sit, and opportunities for children and elders to learn from one another. Key project leaders have already contributed an estimated 500 hours combined this year, alongside the time and care of many other volunteers.

Phase Two will help the garden serve the neighborhood well beyond its opening day. Will you make a gift to help us reach $30,000? Every contribution brings us closer to a secure, watered, and welcoming garden for Grant Street.

See the garden’s progress · View before-and-after photos

Help Grow Phase Two of the Grant Street Community Garden

Help us raise $30,000 for a new fence, irrigation, and the infrastructure this neighborhood garden needs to thrive.