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Since May 2014, the Communiversity Gardens have grown both fresh produce and connections among students and community members.

“The gardens began in partnership with DeKalb County Community Gardens as a living lab, started by students for students,” said Melissa Burlingame, assistant director of NIU’s Institute for the Study of Environment, Sustainability, and Energy.

Since then, they have moved from a campus site south of Anderson Hall to a primary location behind St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Normal Road and a satellite location at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. The gardens have been incorporated into the Environmental Studies curriculum through the Sustainable Food Systems emphasis and certificate. The gardens’ bounty is donated to the Huskie Food Pantry and other local food pantries and is available to volunteers. Last year, approximately 1,100 pounds of produce were harvested and distributed.

The Communiversity Gardens’ latest chapter is an exciting one, creating new synergies between students, faculty and community partners.

“Last fall, we received funding from an Episcopal Charities Parish Partners Grant to promote collaboration with organizations around DeKalb and amplify garden yields through smart horticulture,” said Thomas Skuzinski, the institute’s director.

Kevin Martin, an institute joint faculty member, and Bill Mills, a faculty associate from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, are working with Environmental Studies student intern Thomas Ryner to install sensors to gather data about air quality, light, humidity, temperature, soil quality and moisture. Motion sensors are utilized to monitor threats to vegetation, such as deer, mice and rabbits.

“The Communiversity Garden at St. Paul’s, now named in memory of garden enthusiast, parishioner, and Biological Sciences faculty member Rick Johns, is a nexus of learning, outreach and community-building for all ages, abilities and needs,” Skuzinski added.

The gardens have recently been officially designated as a United States Department of Agriculture People’s Garden for the important role they play in the community to sustainably address hunger through both fresh produce and education.

About 7,500 individuals are food insecure in the City of DeKalb, and another 6,000 in DeKalb County. Many of these people have identities through their race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, age and ability that create additional vulnerabilities or burdens in their lives. The Communiversity Gardens are near many of the individuals who have the greatest need.

“We conservatively estimate that smartly expanding and improving the Communiversity Gardens sites could contribute to increasing access to fresh produce for 500 households annually while also educating 150 middle school, high school, and college-age students about gardening, nutrition and service,” Skuzinski said.

NIU students will have a new opportunity to engage with the gardens when the Sustainability House—a living-learning community—begins this fall. Students will help address food insecurity through coursework and extracurricular experiences organized by Kris Borre, a nutritional anthropologist, master gardener and the institute’s sustainable food systems coordinator.

“Dr. Borre brings a wealth of expertise—from managing interns and volunteers to securing external funding through fundraising and grants,” Skuzinski said.

In the coming months, the Communiversity Gardens will once again enter its busiest time of planting, growing and harvesting. The institute welcomes all Huskies—students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends—to get involved, whether through financial support or volunteering.

For more information about the Communiversity Gardens, contact Thomas Skuzinski at tskuzinski@niu.edu or go to www.niu.edu/communiversitygardens.

GET INVOLVED

with the Communiversity Gardens!

DONATE to the Institute for the Study of Environment, Sustainability and Energy’s general fund to support community outreach activities and support undergraduate student Summer Garden Fellows, and help with the purchase of basic supplies and smart horticulture technologies.

VOLUNTEER during the busiest months from March through October. Many hands truly do make for lighter work!