Able South Carolina Wins National Award to Build Accessible Community Garden in Columbia

Able South Carolina is one of 70 teams nationwide selected as a Phase 1 winner of the Cultivating Connected Communities Garden Challenge, a national competition run by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The team will receive $4,000 to redesign an accessible community garden at Leroy Moss Multipurpose Community Center and Pollinator Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. The garden will serve the community with fully accessible features that make gardening possible for anyone.

“Community spaces should be places where everyone belongs, yet too often, people with disabilities and older adults face barriers that prevent them from fully participating,” said Kimberly Tissot, president and CEO of Able South Carolina.

“We’re thrilled to be selected as a Phase 1 winner of the ACL Cultivating Connected Community Gardens Challenge and to partner with the City of Columbia to change that. As a disability-led organization, we know the best solutions come from the people who experience these barriers firsthand. This project is about more than making a garden accessible. It’s about bringing people together, improving access to healthy food, reducing isolation, and creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to connect, contribute, and thrive. We hope Grow Together Columbia becomes a model for what communities can accomplish when accessibility and inclusion are built in from the beginning.”

The project is a partnership with the City of Columbia Parks and Recreation.

"This challenge is about inviting people in. These Phase 1 winners show what's possible when community gardens are designed to reduce isolation, increase access to healthy food, and strengthen community participation for people with disabilities and older adults," said Dr. Rebecca Hines, commissioner of ACL's Administration on Disabilities.

A multidisciplinary expert panel selected the winners based on their accessibility approach, sustainability, and strength of community partnerships.

The Cultivating Connected Communities Garden Challenge builds on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's The People's Garden initiative and supports the national Make America Healthy Again effort, which focuses on preventing chronic disease through better food access and community wellness, including for people with disabilities and older adults.

As a Phase 1 winner, Able South Carolina now moves on to Phase 2 of the challenge. Through mid-May, the team will put its plan into action and track results. It can earn up to $8,000 more based on its outcomes.

The Cultivating Connected Communities Garden Challenge is a national competition to expand accessible, inclusive community garden models. Learn more on the Cultivating Connected Communities Challenge page at ACL.gov.