When Emmanuel looks back on his childhood, the Community Sharing Garden isn’t just something he remembers—it’s something he grew up with.
Emmanuel moved into his neighborhood about four years after the garden was first established. From his home, he watched it slowly take shape, expand, and evolve. In many ways, the garden grew alongside him. What began as a shared community space became a constant presence in his everyday life—one that quietly shaped his understanding of nature, service, and community.
Some of Emmanuel’s earliest memories are playful ones. As a child, he and his siblings climbed on piles of dirt and woodchips delivered for garden projects, pretending they were scaling mountains. But beyond the fun, Emmanuel was absorbing something deeper. Every day, he saw neighbors showing up—not for personal gain, but for the benefit of everyone around them.
“Watching how hard people kept working not for their own benefit was very motivating,” Emmanuel shared. “Seeing that every day had a lasting impact on me.”
That sense of shared responsibility and care would later guide Emmanuel back to the garden in a new way.
Finding a Path Through Service
After graduating high school, Emmanuel decided to take a gap year. Like many young people, he was looking for direction—and a job. While working in his own garden one day, he struck up a conversation with Kaelyb Lokrantz, Community Action’s Garden and Community Service Manager. That chance interaction led Emmanuel to AmeriCorps service with Community Action.
“I kind of just fell into it,” he said. “We started talking, and that was that.”
During his AmeriCorps term, Emmanuel took on hands‑on work in the Community Sharing Garden and beyond. His days were filled with weeding, laying mulch for garden paths, clearing invasive species, and starting plants from seed before the growing season began. Through this work, Emmanuel gained practical skills—but more importantly, he gained a new appreciation for the effort behind growing food and caring for the land.
“Working in the garden put me in touch with how much effort it takes to grow food,” he explained. “Nearly every gardening tip I know, I learned there.”
One service project stood out in particular. While working at Big Hill Park with Fresh Start students, Emmanuel helped remove invasive trees. For the first time, he chopped down a tree—a moment that changed how he thought about conservation.
“It made me realize not every tree is a good tree,” he said. “That experience really hooked me on conservation efforts.”
Connection, Confidence, and Community
For Emmanuel, the garden was also a place of connection. Though he describes himself as “kind of a hermit,” the garden’s role as a central walkway in the neighborhood brought people together—and brought Emmanuel out of his shell.
“Being in the garden helped me meet a lot of community neighbors for the first time,” he said.
That sense of belonging reflects what Community Action strives to create: spaces where people feel connected, supported, and valued. Emmanuel describes Community Action as “a nice neighbor who babysits your kids”—a place you can turn to in hard times and trust to show up.
Community Action programs have had a lasting, positive impact on Emmanuel’s life, helping him see his own strengths and potential more clearly. Through service, he realized he thrives outdoors, working with his hands and contributing to something bigger than himself.
Looking Toward the Future
Today, Emmanuel is pursuing a degree in environmental engineering, driven by what he describes as the “ever‑looming need for 100% sustainability” in the face of climate change. His experiences in the garden and through AmeriCorps helped him understand who is most affected by environmental crises—often people living with fewer resources and limited safety nets.
“The people who tend to use the garden resources the most are low-income individuals and lacking safety nets,” Emmanuel shared. “Since I fit into these groups, I decided to try doing something about it.”
He’s excited about the future and the possibility of applying his education to real projects that improve neighborhoods and cities. Even on a personal level, Emmanuel hopes to use what he’s learned to design the best backyard garden imaginable—a full‑circle moment that brings him back to where his journey began.
To other young people growing up in the community, Emmanuel offers simple but powerful advice: “Indirect paths help you experience life far more.”
And to anyone considering AmeriCorps service or volunteering with Community Action, his message is clear: “Jump on it. There’s always a need for volunteers somewhere.”
Through Emmanuel’s story, we see the impact of Community Action’s mission in action—how access to opportunity, community connection, and meaningful service can help individuals build pathways not only toward self‑reliance, but toward lasting purpose.