Ascension Calumet Hospital announced on Apr. 15 that its community garden continues to provide free access to healthy food for residents who may not otherwise have it. The hospital maintains 30 plots, each measuring four by six feet, on its grounds for any community member to use at no cost.
The initiative aims to help those within city limits who lack yard space or resources to grow their own produce. Community Garden Co-Lead Kimberly Buechel said, “There’s so much value to a community garden. It gives the community, within city limits, who don’t have much yard space, the ability to have a garden, and the opportunity to grow healthy food for their family.”
Hospital associates also tend a dedicated plot for Ascension Calumet. Once harvested, fruits and vegetables from this plot are placed at the hospital’s main entrance for visitors to take home free of charge. Community Garden Co-Lead Tammy Zastrow explained how the system works: “The way we have it set up, it can even be an exchange of goods. People can leave a tomato and pick up a cucumber. If they don’t have anything to trade, that’s okay too, the important thing is that people are taking home fresh, healthy food they may not otherwise have access to.”
Several plots are also allocated specifically for local organizations such as New Hope Center and Calumet County Behavioral Health in support of their programs.
Zastrow said about the effort: “Letting the community know we’re here for them and invested in their health is important. We strive every day to live out our Ascension mission of caring for those who are most vulnerable in our communities, and I believe this community garden fulfills a need for many people in our area.”
After all plots were rented out last year in 2025, Ascension Calumet associates hope there will be opportunities to expand the program further this year.
