We aim to make gardens and fresh produce accessible to everyone in our community.
About
Helena Community Gardens (HCG) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that manages nine gardens across our community. Each of our community gardens provides participants with an individual plot, tools, water, compost, straw, common space and the knowledge and guidance of Garden Managers and the HCG network. With these resources, and a little bit of persistence and patience gardeners cultivate food for their family, friends, and we encourage donations to Helena Food Share as well!
History
Helena Community Gardens stemmed from what was called the Growing Community Project (GCP) under Working for Equality and Economic Liberation (WEEL). It started as a diverse group of individuals and organizations that shared a vision of community gardens within walking distance of every neighborhood in Helena. GCP’s mission was to build community gardens, with community support, to bring together diverse neighborhoods, creating community while addressing food security and social justice issues.
After its inception, the organization’s growth soon outpaced the capacity of its organizational home to support it. In 2012, as an only volunteer effort, HCG obtained its own nonprofit status, created a strategic plan, and re-branded itself. By mid-2013 we were able to hire part time staff.
Vision Statements
Everyone in Helena is within walking distance of a community garden.
All community gardens are accessible to everyone.
Everyone in Helena has access to healthy, affordable, fresh foods.
People of all ages know how to grow and harvest their own foods – and do!
Helena Food Share and their clients benefit from the production grown in our partner gardens.
A sense of community and common purpose is achieved; relationships within neighborhoods and gardeners are enhanced.
The environment benefits through the open space gardens provide, organic practices, and the reduced fossil fuels necessary to access food.
Contact
PO Box 1222
Helena, MT 59624
Sheri Steckler
Meet the Executive Director
Sheri was born and raised in North Dakota; with deep family roots in agriculture and land stewardship, leading to her first greenhouse job while attending college. Growing up, her dad always had a huge garden. He would section off the corners of it, creating perfect squares in which he would teach Sheri and her sisters how to garden in their very own plots. Sheri’s career and education evolved from those experiences, in both private and public sectors. Her main areas of focus were greenhouse and nursery management, landscape design and installation foreperson, agriculture research, plant industry regulatory compliance and arboriculture. Sheri graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in horticulture and landscape architecture. As a Certified Arborist and former City Forester, Sheri has planted and cared for thousands of trees throughout her career and has been known to hug many of them!
As an avid gardener, Sheri loves all facets of the practice, even weeding which, to Sheri, is meditative and grounding. Throughout her decades of gardening, Sheri often had a much larger plot than would be required for one person because in her opinion, the ability to share your harvest with others is one of the most exciting benefits of being a gardener. When Sheri is not in her garden, she enjoys food preservation, cooking and eating the fresh produce she grows.
As the only paid, part-time staff person for Helena Community Gardens, Sheri oversees volunteers, events, communication, education and administrative duties in our community gardens. She works closely with the HCG Board of Directors to keep our organization running effectively.
Meet the Board of Directors
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Amanda Coyle
BOARD CHAIR
Amanda was born in Connecticut and raised in South Florida before moving to Montana as an AmeriCorps member with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks in 2021. Previous to AmeriCorps, she was a Peace Corps volunteer in Mongolia. These two experiences instilled a deep sense of service and need to help others whenever possible. Amanda is currently the program coordinator for a new AmeriCorps program with the Montana Department of Agriculture. This position has sparked an interest in agriculture, gardening, local food systems, and helping our neighbors get access to healthy foods. HCC offers a space where she can serve the Helena community while exploring the world of gardening with purpose. She has just purchased some acreage where she hopes to expand her gardening pursuits in the future.
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Gretchen Tigner
BOARD VICE CHAIR
Gretchen believes in service and in contributing to the greater good. She told us: “A community garden has many benefits: giving people the opportunity to grow fresh food, supporting beginning gardeners efforts, encouraging people to learn and dig in the dirt just to name a few. I can get behind that 100%.”
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Jeane Carstensen-Garrett
TREASURER
Jeane came to Helena to attend Carroll College after high school and never left. As she and her husband started a garden at their home in York, she discovered she actually liked so many more vegetables. Jeane was attracted to the Helena Community Garden Board in their mission to provide the opportunity for everyone in Helena to garden in their neighborhood and grow their own healthy foods as well as the contribution of fresh produce to Helena Food Share. -
Whitney Bausch
SECRETARY
Whitney was born in Butte, and spent many years in western Washington and Missoula before moving to Helena in 2016. She started gardening at the Sixth Ward Garden in 2018 due to a lack of gardening space in her own yard. Whitney joined the Board in 2019 and served as the Board Vice Chair in 2023 and 2024. Whitney is also the garden manager of the Sixth Ward Garden. She believes that HCG can, and should, be a part of ensuring that all community members have access to nutritious food.
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Sarah Carlson
BOARD MEMBER
My interest in all things gardening began on the wheat farm where I grew up in North Dakota. My family had a large kitchen garden and numerous heirloom flowers, including a Harison’s Yellow Rose that arrived with my ancestors in a covered wagon. No matter where I’ve lived, from Washington, DC to the Mountains of Montana, I always set up a large garden. I’m excited and thankful to be a new member of the Board. I feel creating opportunities for people to experience the joy, beauty and bountiful harvests of gardening is one of the best and impactful ways for anyone to spend their time. When it is too cold to garden, I enjoy cheering for my alma mater’s hockey team. Go University of North Dakota Hawks! I live in Helena with my husband, daughter and two cats with impeccable garden manners.
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Les Clark
BOARD MEMBER
Les has worked with non-profit organizations for nearly forty years, including Growing Friends of Helena, Montana Independent Living Project, RMDC, and the Center for Mental Health. He is a founding board member of Helena Community Gardens. He is particularly drawn to the vision of having a community garden within walking distance of every neighborhood in Helena so that people can learn to grow their own healthy food. He also enjoys connecting children with gardens. Fascinated by the miracle of life he sees in plants, Les has been a Master Gardener for six years and gardened for more than fifty.
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Alice Hinshaw
BOARD MEMBER
Alice was born and raised in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She moved to Montana in 1973, and for many years she worked in farming and animal husbandry. She has been an attorney in Helena for 30 years. Alice is passionate about youth programs, animals, gardening. Recently retired from her law practice, she is enjoying the opportunity to focus on community service, family and gardening. As a Montana Master Gardener, joining Helena Community Gardens as a volunteer and board member is the perfect fit!
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Jake Mohrmann
BOARD MEMBER
Born and raised in Helena, Jake and his family have recently settled back in Helena after living and gardening at 10,000 feet elevation in Colorado. Jake is a Master Gardener and co-garden manager at the Covenant Community Garden where he enjoys gardening with his family.
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Christiane Rudmann
BOARD MEMBER
Chris was born and raised in Germany and moved to Montana in 2014. Her grandparents and parents have gardened for as long as she can remember and passed the love for growing flowers, fruit & veggies onto her. Chris started gardening with HCG in 2021 and joined the Board in early 2022. She served as the Board Chair in 2023 and 2024. Chris is dedicated to working with the Board on moving HCG into its next decade and to keep ensuring that all Helena families have access to garden plots and with that, to fresh food.