Blooms & Brooms cultivates community in Columbus Park

In the heart of Columbus Park, a once modest community garden is thriving — and growing — thanks to the passionate volunteers behind Blooms and Brooms. With support from the Neighborhoods Rising Fund, the group is expanding and improving the Columbus Park Community Garden, transforming it into a vibrant hub for neighbors to plant, gather, and build deeper connections.

This year’s grant supports key upgrades, including repairs to aging garden boxes, the addition of composting supplies and new signage, and a much-needed grill replacement after a damaging storm. Volunteers, including youth and longtime residents alike, have rolled up their sleeves to bring these improvements to life — planting together, pulling weeds, and caring for the space they share.

The garden, nestled between Gillis and Harrison Streets on the south side of Missouri Avenue, has become a vital gathering place in this diverse and historic neighborhood. With amenities like shared grills, fire pits, and a welcoming atmosphere, it hosts seasonal events like 4th Fridays in the Garden and offers a third space where neighbors of all backgrounds feel at home.

Supported by in-kind contributions and neighborhood partnerships, Blooms and Brooms continues to prove that when community comes together, growth happens — both in the soil and in the hearts of those who call Columbus Park home.

To learn more about the Neighborhoods Rising Fund and its collaborative impact, click here. You can also explore additional 2024 project stories in the annual report here.

Learn more about the Neighborhoods Rising Fund and its funding collaborative here. Read more stories about projects the fund funded in 2024 in the annual report here.