Giles Community Garden

The Giles Community Garden was founded in 2014 for one simple purpose: "Feed My Sheep" by helping our low and no-income neighbors who live near the garden in Pearisburg with getting free, fresh vegetables. This mission soon expanded to include educational and community-building programing all centered around healthy food grown in the garden. 

Teaching Kids to Grow Great Food

This summer, we are on track for 8 weeks of children's Summer Camp. Our campers will receive gardening instruction, food education, food preparation, a nourishing meal, and cultivating new friendships with positive adult role models.  Our Summer Camp is expecting over 50 children, ages 5-12. Through our excellent partnerships with Carilion Clinic and Virginia Cooperative Extension our programming will continue to excel and enrich our children's learning. Our pre/post surveys confirm that the children and parents are delighted, entertained and educated by our structure, activities and overall approach.

NRV Thrive

Throughout our 12 years we have developed many partnerships with our community and the NRV, including helping to build NRV Thrive, the food access network for the NRV. Because of these partnerships, we are able distribute food every month of the year to programs throughout Giles County. In 2024 we delivered over 50,000 pounds of fresh produce to four regular locations, feeding thousands.

Support Our Ongoing Operations

This year for the GiveLocalNRV Giving Day, we are raising funds to continue to maintain and improve our garden and programming. So far this year we have built raised beds to help slow soil erosion, improve weed control and to improve crop productivity. The lumber for these raised beds was purchased from our existing budget and through generous donations from three local lumber companies. Additional soil and compost were both purchased and donated. These raised beds will also greatly enhance and simplify our garden education programs 

Please consider making a donation to the Giles Community Garden as we continue to nourish, educate and cultivate community around healthy food. Your donation will assist in completing our raised bed improvements and support all of our programming.