Great River Elders Community Gardens blends ancestral agricultural wisdom with sustainable modern practices to serve food-insecure communities in Jackson, Mississippi. Much of the city sits in a food desert, forcing residents to drive miles outside their neighborhoods to get groceries. “There’s a huge gap between how many grocery stores are in the area versus fast food restaurants and convenience stores,” co-founder Tobias Cooper told the local ABC station. This community garden tackles hunger by growing and distributing free fruits and vegetables to people in the community — a move that has only become more urgent with threats to public benefits. In Mississippi, about one in eight people receive food assistance through SNAP.
Volunteers at Great River Elders Community Gardens grow produce that is available for free to people in the community. Photo: Adrion Jones
The name, Great River Elders Community Gardens, “bridges the gap between the elder and younger generation” and pays homage to the Mississippi River, said Adrion Jones, co-founder and executive director. The garden is currently operating with all volunteers — mostly teenagers — on land owned by Fresh Start Christian Church in Jackson. In Summer 2026, the organization hopes to break ground at its permanent home. The new 4,000 sq. ft. garden will house workshops on growing food, nutrition, cooking, and more for all ages. The nonprofit also hopes to operate a social enterprise company that would sell produce to groceries, schools, hospitals and other institutions.
Volunteers at Great River Elders Community Gardens grow produce that is available for free to people in the community. Photo: Adrion Jones