Growing Opportunity: New Garden Education Center Takes Root in South Phoenix

In South Phoenix, where access to fresh, affordable food has long been limited, a once-vacant lot has blossomed into something far greater than a garden.

On March 31, Local First Arizona celebrated the grand opening of the Garden Education Center at Heart & Soil People’s Garden, marking a major milestone fueled by a transformative $1 million investment from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together Arizona Department of Agriculture Director Paul Brierley, philanthropists Bob and Renee Parsons, State Conservationist for USDA-NRCS Keisha Tatem, and Local First Arizona Founder and CEO Kimber Lanning. Together, they honored a project years in the making; one rooted in community vision and sustained collaboration.

“The gardeners at Heart & Soil have built something extraordinary, and now, with this new land and classroom space, we can take it even further,” Lanning said. “Teaching urban farming, nutrition and financial empowerment in this multigenerational community is exactly what this neighborhood deserves, and The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation made it a reality.”

Heart & Soil People’s Garden began with a simple act of generosity. In 2022, longtime Local First coalition members Pat and Howard Fleischmann donated a vacant lot in the heart of South Phoenix, a community often described as a food desert.

Local First enlisted Founder and Garden Director Chanika Forté, a seventh-generation farmer, to reimagine the space. Her vision was clear: create a women-led urban farm that could nourish both people and community.

Today, the garden is tended by 12 active women growers and produces more than 14,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables each year.

In 2023, it earned designation as a People’s Garden by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, underscoring its growing importance at a time when rising food costs and supply chain disruptions continue to impact vulnerable communities.

“We are beyond grateful for the opportunity to be part of this incredible community resource, which stands in the middle of a significant food desert,” Forté said. “We have so many growers now, and more are coming. Being able to produce vegetables builds the kind of self-sufficiency our community needs right now to ensure everyone has access to healthy food.”

The catalyst for the garden’s next chapter came in 2024, when The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation awarded Local First Arizona $1,013,000 – the largest private donation in the organization’s 23-year history.

The funding supported both the expansion of the garden and the growth of Local First’s business accelerator programs for Spanish-speaking and black entrepreneurs.

An adjacent lot has been acquired and transformed, creating space for expanded growing areas and the newly constructed Garden Education Center. The site now includes a fully equipped classroom, restrooms, ADA-accessible pathways, additional raised beds, shade structures, and an enhanced irrigation system.

“Health and wellness have always been deeply important to me, and access to fresh, nutritious food is a big part of that,” Renee Parsons said. “This effort shows us what is possible when the community comes together around a shared vision. They’re growing healthy food and nurturing stronger, more connected neighborhoods.”

The Garden Education Center is designed as a space for learning, entrepreneurship, and empowerment. It will host Local First’s Ag Business Boot Camp, providing aspiring urban farmers with hands-on experience while they work toward securing land.

Programming will span crop planning, soil health, composting, and sustainable growing practices, alongside workshops in financial literacy, business planning, and market development.

“This investment is about opportunity, plain and simple,” Bob Parsons said. “The expanded garden creates more space, access, and opportunity for people to grow, earn, and learn something that can be carried forward for generations.”

The partnership between The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation and Local First Arizona dates back to 2018, beginning with a “Small but Mighty” grant.

Since then, the Foundation has invested more than $1.3 million in support of Local First’s mission, reflecting a shared commitment to community-driven economic development and the entrepreneurs who power it.

As the Garden Education Center opens its doors, it stands as a testament to what can happen when investment meets intention. For more behind this Frontdoor, visit heartandsoilgarden.org or tbrpf.org.