Council of Gardeners
Growing Collective Power Across NYC Gardens
The Council of Gardeners is a cross-borough network of community gardeners and open-space allies working together to strengthen and sustain New York City’s community gardens. Convened by Green Guerillas, the Council creates a dedicated space for gardeners to connect, share knowledge, identify collective priorities, and take coordinated action.
For more than 50 years, Green Guerillas has supported and protected community gardens across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, advancing environmental justice, food sovereignty, and neighborhood-led leadership. The Council builds on this legacy by centering the voices of gardeners themselves. It ensures that those who steward these spaces have a platform to collaborate, advocate, and shape the future of community gardening in NYC.
Together, we grow more than gardens, we grow community power.
Your Voice Belongs Here
The Council is open to all community gardeners and open-space allies, from long-time garden leaders to emerging stewards.
Whether you manage a plot, organize events, or support your local garden in any way, your experience and insight are valuable. The Council exists to amplify grassroots leadership and ensure every borough is represented.
Join the Steering Committee
The Council of Gardeners brings together community gardeners from across New York City to strengthen connections, share knowledge, build collective power, and advocate for the needs of community gardens.
We are welcoming new gardeners to join the Steering Committee and help shape the Council’s priorities, advocacy efforts, and future direction. Members will work alongside fellow gardeners from across the city, share their experiences and ideas, and help ensure community gardeners have a strong voice in decisions that impact their gardens and communities.
Who Can Apply?
NYC community gardeners who live in New York City and are committed to community leadership, collaboration, and advocacy.
Steering Committee members serve a two-year term, with an expected commitment of approximately 3–5 hours per month.
Application Deadline:
September 5, 2026
Steering Committee Info Session
Join us for a virtual Steering Committee Information Session to learn more about the Council of Gardeners, what it means to serve on the Steering Committee, and how you can get involved.
We’ll walk through the role and expectations, share more about the application process, and answer any questions you may have.
Event Details
Date: August 17, 2026
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Come with your questions, learn more about the opportunity, and see how you can play a role in strengthening the voice of NYC community gardeners. We hope to see you there!
What the Council Does
The Council provides a collaborative space to:
Share knowledge, resources, and best practices
Address common challenges across boroughs
Build leadership within garden communities
Advocate for policies that protect and expand community gardens
Strengthen connections between gardeners citywide
Council meetings are designed to be participatory, inclusive, and solution-focused. Each gathering centers the lived experience of gardeners and creates space for meaningful collaboration across boroughs.
Our Council Meeting Structure
Wisdom Sharing & Updates
Meetings begin with gardeners sharing updates from their communities, successes, seasonal challenges, policy concerns, and emerging issues. This space allows members to learn from one another’s experiences and surface common themes affecting gardens citywide.
Open Discussion & Collective Problem-Solving
Through guided dialogue, participants explore shared challenges, exchange practical strategies, and offer peer support. Whether addressing land security, resource gaps, leadership transitions, or city agency coordination, the Council prioritizes collaborative solutions grounded in community knowledge.
Action Planning & Advocacy Alignment
Each meeting concludes with identifying next steps and collective priorities. Members discuss advocacy opportunities, upcoming events, and ways to strengthen coordination across boroughs. Action items are community-driven and focused on advancing policies and practices that protect and expand NYC’s community gardens.
Our Committee Chairs
Meet the community leaders who help guide the Council of Gardeners across New York City. Representing gardens in every borough, our Committee Chairs bring lived experience, grassroots leadership, and a deep commitment to collaboration, ensuring that gardeners’ voices remain at the center of advocacy, decision-making, and collective action.
BROOKLYN
Fiodhna O'Grady
T&T Vernon Block Community Garden
Jess Frost
Maple Street Community Garden
BRONX
Chantal Phaire
Bronx River Community Garden
Lina E. Krakue
New Beginnings Community Garden
MANHATTAN
Barbara Caporale
Sixth & B Garden
Ixchel Austin
Grant Shade Garden
QUEENS
Sonia Ferraro
Paradise Community Garden
Elizabeth O’Connor
Moore Jackson Community Garden
2026 Advocacy Training
Our Advocacy & Civic Engagement Training brought together gardeners, community leaders, and partners from across New York City to strengthen their voices and build practical advocacy skills. Designed as a two-part workshop, the training focused on helping participants better understand civic systems and how to effectively engage with them.
Across both sessions, participants explored tools for civic engagement, learned strategies to advocate for their communities, and gained insight into how policy and decision-making impact community gardens and green spaces. The training also highlighted the importance of community-led leadership in shaping more equitable and sustainable neighborhoods.
Through collaborative learning, hands-on discussion, and shared experiences, the sessions created space for connection, knowledge-building, and collective action toward lasting change.
Moments from our recent Advocacy & Civic Engagement Training
