Commonwealth Places Campaign Launched for Roslindale Community Garden

$25,000 goal to win matching grant through MassDevelopment’s Commonwealth Places Initiative

September 19, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Meggie Quackenbush, MassDevelopment, 617-330-2011 & 857-208-2777 (cell)
mquackenbush@massdevelopment.com

Jonathan Berk, Patronicity, 617-750-6008
jonathan@Patronicity.com

Greg Murphy, Friends of Healy Field, 617-413-6472
gsjmurphy@gmail.com

MassDevelopment and The Friends of Healy Field today announced a new campaign through the civic crowdfunding platform Patronicity and the Commonwealth Places initiative to create a community garden at Healy Field near Roslindale Village. The Healy Field community garden provides Roslindale residents access to land to grow fresh food and engage with their community as they plan and maintain the garden. The garden will feature accessible plots designed for people of varying physical abilities, children’s garden plots, tables, benches, fruit trees, and a gathering space for community events.

“Commonwealth Places provides cities and towns with vital resources to fund projects that drive community engagement and economic activity,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Lauren Liss. “We are pleased to support this creative campaign for a community garden, which will give Roslindale residents the opportunity to exercise their green thumbs, engage with their neighbors, and connect with their community.”

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $25,000 by November 9, 2017, at midnight, the project will win a matching grant with funds from MassDevelopment’s Commonwealth Places program. Learn more and donate www.patronicity.com/healygarden.

“I think the community garden aspect is very important. If you don’t have children, you may not come to Healy Field, but with a community garden you can have your own little space, you can work with other people, and you’ll meet people,” said City Councilor Tim McCarthy. “When people know their neighbors, it’s a better community. Simple as that.”

Commonwealth Places is a collaborative initiative from MassDevelopment and Patronicity that leverages public support for placemaking projects through crowdfunding and a matching grant from MassDevelopment. The program engages residents in the development of strategic projects in their towns and cities. In June 2017, MassDevelopment announced $1 million in funding for the second year of the program, which has supported successful campaigns across the Commonwealth, from Northampton to Hyannis. Communities, nonprofits, and other entities can learn more about these successful projects, donate to ongoing campaigns, and apply at www.massdevelopment.com/commonwealthplaces.

MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2016, MassDevelopment financed or managed 352 projects generating investment of more than $4 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are projected to create about 8,200 jobs and build or rehabilitate about 4,200 residential units.