May 6, 2023

The garden celebrated its Grand Opening, complete with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony provided by the City of Madison. Dignitaries in attendance included Mayor Fred Perriman, Downtown Development Authority Chairman Ed Latham, Morgan County Commissioner Donald Harris, and City Planner Monica Calahan. The garden pavilion was dedicated to Hiram Johnston for his ceaseless volunteer services at the garden and across the city. President of the Board, Sally Fowler, was recognized for her role as Visionary and Founding President. Refreshments were served to over 200 guests and gardeners.

April 8, 2023

Fifth Street Community Garden opens for spring planting. Volunteers provide information about soil amendment, assign vacant beds, hand out seeds and seedlings, and bring the community together for a good, old-fashioned, southern visit.

October 22, 2022

Fifth Street Community Garden receives the EverGREEN Award from the Madison Conservation Commission.

October 1, 2022

Fifth Street Community Garden opens for lessees to plant free seedlings for a pilot season before the grand opening. Many fall vegetables and flowers grow and nourish the community.

September 28, 2022

Thirty-seven Lowe’s employees from around the region join local volunteers to build a pavilion and a tool shed, clear brush, and plant shrubs.

September 16, 2022

Fifth Street Community Garden hosts a Meet and Greet at St. Paul AME Church with activities for children in the community, garden tours, and raised bed leasing opportunities.

August 27, 2022

The Rotary Club of Morgan County arrives to build raised beds for the garden and donates all the materials.

Summer 2022

On the heels of a doing business as (DBA) name change in May to Fifth Street Community Garden, the garden receives essential seed funding to start building out the intended site, beginning with a Lowe’s Hometown Grant in June, followed by an allocation of American Recovery Act funds from the City of Madison in July, and finally receiving an AARP Challenge Grant from Georgia AARP in August.

Fall Semester 2021

The University of Georgia College of Environment and Design accepts Madison Morgan Community Garden as a semester project for an undergraduate landscaping class. Students visit the lot and then present five team garden layout designs as their class final in December.

November 1, 2021

An exciting day for Madison Morgan Community Garden, the IRS approves the seed team’s application for 501(c)(3) exemption, and the MMGC is recognized as a public charity. On the same day, Madison Morgan Community Garden enters into a 5-year lease with the City of Madison for an undeveloped, underutilized, railside plot in the predominantly African-American Canaan Historic Neighborhood.

September 2021

Madison Morgan Community Garden begins a long-term partnership with the Madison-Morgan County Boys & Girls Club providing youth-focused proprietary curricula and hands-on gardening lessons.

August 10, 2021

Madison Morgan Community Garden achieves incorporation in the state of Georgia.

June 9, 2020

Inspired by the consequential George Floyd protests and swelling cries for justice and equity, Madisonians hold a peaceful demonstration on May 30, 2020. Sally Browning Fowler, having been present at the demonstration, is moved by the pressing need to address marginalization in her community. She begins to examine her resources to find something that she can do as just one person to make a difference. Sally finds herself watching an episode of Grow, Cook, Eat that features a thriving community garden in Mud Island, Ireland. The tendrils of connection between social justice and sustainability begin forming in her mind. She brings the idea of a local, community garden - the first of its kind - to a small group of like-minded citizens on June 9, 2020.