WPB and FAMU Partnership

Great things are growing in your Community Garden!

Background

The City of West Palm Beach and Florida A &M University has established a new partnership through its Cooperative Extension Program to provide educational programs and activities to City of West Palm Beach residents, including:

  • 4H Development Programs

  • Family consumer science nutrition, financial literacy, senior living & aging, emergency preparedness & safety

  • Community Gardening

In addition to programs, FAMU will be overseeing three community gardens that will serve residents in our north and south communities.

Pleasant City Grill in the Garden

Young and adult gardeners turned out Tuesday, June 24, 2025, for the Pleasant City Community Garden Grill in the Garden neighborhood gathering. Just shy of two years since this Community Garden was planted, residents, neighbors and friends gathered to see the fruits of their labor, enjoy a meal and learn about the growth of the Florida A & M University (FAMU) and City of West Palm Beach Department of Housing and Community Development partnership.

Pleasant City Grill in the Garden poster

Pleasant City Community Garden, Grill in the Garden

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Flourishing garden in Pleasant City

A once barren and neglected strip of land is now a healthy garden

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Worker grilling hamburgers and hotdogs

Grilling up lunch in Grill in the Garden

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Three team members who hosted the Pleasant City Grill in the Garden

Teamwork hosted the Grill in the Garden

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Children gather around a West Palm Beach Fire truck at the Grill in the Garden

West Palm Beach Fire Fighters met with the youth at the event

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Youngster coloring and learning

Learning about the environment through coloring

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Three garden flowers grown by nearby residents

Beautiful flowers blossom from the work of neighbors

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Juneteenth

Rooted in Freedom: Growing Community at Pleasant City Community Garden

In honor of Juneteenth, we celebrate the Pleasant City Neighborhood Community Garden, a flourishing symbol of resilience, culture, and community empowerment in one of West Palm Beach's first historically rich Black neighborhoods.

Juneteenth, recognized as a national holiday, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. It serves not only as a day of remembrance but also as a call to action for continued growth, justice, and community building. We honor the freedom, strength, and perseverance of Black communities past and present. The Pleasant City Neighborhood Community Garden embodies those values, reminding us that liberation also looks like food sovereignty, environmental justice, and community-rooted wellness. In Pleasant City, that spirit is alive in the soil.

Pleasant City, founded in 1905, as a thriving Black neighborhood, has long been a testament to self-sufficiency and cultural pride. Today, the Pleasant City Neighborhood Community Garden continues that legacy by serving as a living classroom for youth and creating space for residents to connect with the land, grow nutritious food, and share traditions across generations.

The garden began as a local initiative to combat food insecurity and provide a safe, green space for residents of all ages. With the support of the FAMU Cooperative Extension and the City of West Palm Beach, what started as a modest effort has blossomed into a vibrant urban oasis. Here, green beans, sweet potato, pigeon peas, and many other herbs and vegetables flourish, many of which hold cultural significance within African American and Afro-Caribbean communities.

More than just a garden, it's a gathering place. Youth volunteers learn to till soil and sow seeds, elders share ancestral wisdom, and neighbors come together to cultivate more than crops: they grow unity. "This garden reminds me of my grandmother's backyard," one volunteer shared. "It brings back memories.”

As we honor Juneteenth, the Pleasant City Neighborhood Community Garden stands as a living legacy of freedom. It reminds us that the journey to equity continues, and that growth, whether in our communities or in our gardens, requires care, intention, and collaboration.

The future of the garden is bright. With continued support and engagement, this green space will remain a cornerstone for Pleasant City, planting seeds of hope for generations to come.

To learn more or get involved, follow our social media page and join us in celebrating a community deeply rooted in strength, history, and green living.

For more information contact: tavia.gordon@famu.edu

Facebook page: FAMU Extension - West Palm Beach | Tallahassee FL | Facebook

Photo of the garden sign at the Pleasant City Community Garden

Garden sign, built and donated by Mr. Brian (a garden volunteer), showcases the streets of the Pleasant City neighborhood.

 

Photo of the south end view from with the Pleasant City garden. The Pleasant City Youth Empowerment Center can be seen in the background.

South end view of the Pleasant City Community Garden.

 

Photo of the Pleasant City Community Garden from the north end point of view. There are garden beds with plants and vegetation in the garden.

Northend view of the  Pleasant City Community Garden.

Events

Garden Days

We’re so excited to kick off another year of growth, learning, and connection with each of you.

This Year, We Look Forward To:

  • Growing more fresh produce for our community.

  • Hosting workshops, events, and hands-on learning opportunities.

  • Building an even stronger community of gardeners and nature lovers.

See you at the Gardens! 

 

Coleman Park Community Garden

1116 21st Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33407

Tuesday, June 24, from 9 - 11 a.m.

Saturday, June 21, 9 am - noon

**Special Grill at the Garden Event on June 24 from 2 - 5 p.m.**

 

 

Pleasant City Community Garden

2147 Spruce Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33407

Thursday, June 26, from 2 - 4 p.m.

 

For more information, please contact Tavia Gordon, Urban Extension Agent at (561) 804-4979 or email Tavia.Gordon@FAMU.edu or TGordon@wpb.org.

 Community Garden Schedule for the months of April and May  

 

FAMU Events

 

Eating Smart & Being Active

Nutrition Recipes

Mango and Papaya Fruit Salad

Photo of peeled and diced mango, and a papaya cut in half with its seeds showing

 

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest (from 2 to 3 medium limes)

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 to 3 medium limes)

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 1 medium mango, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)

  • 1 medium papaya, peeled, seeds removed, and diced (about 2 cups)

Instructions

  1. Mix the lime zest, lime juice, and honey together in a medium bowl. Add the mango and papaya and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

 

 

 

Mango Salsa Recipe

 

Photo of salsa made of mango, red peppers, red onion, and cilantro

"Mangoes are a delicious snack alone, however combining them with salsa is a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your daily diet."

 

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe mangos, diced

  • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

  • ½ cup chopped red onion

  • ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

  • 1 large lime, juiced (about ¼ cup lime juice)

  • ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste

 

Instructions

  1. In a serving bowl, combine the prepared mango, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and jalapeño. Drizzle with lime juice.

  2. Using a large spoon, stir the ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and stir again. For the best flavor, let the salsa rest for 10 minutes or longer.

 

 

Students Volunteer to Help Out at Community Gardens

We welcome middle school, high school, and college groups to participate in one-time volunteer experiences in our garden. To schedule a volunteer visit, please email VOLUNTEER at taviagordon@famu.edu and include the following details about your group:

• Estimated number of participants
• Age range
• Preferred dates and times, or general availability
• Any required accommodations

Local students recently spent the day helping out at the City of West Palm Beach's Community Gardens in the Historic Northwest. Watch the video below to learn more.

The Beauty of Our Community Gardens

 

Past Events

Community Garden Day

FAMU Extension and the City of West Palm Beach would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the incredible volunteers who dedicated their time and energy to making our Community Garden Day a success. Your hard work, enthusiasm, and commitment to creating a vibrant, sustainable garden space are truly appreciated.

 

"Together, we have not only grown a garden but also strengthened our community. Your contributions are invaluable, and we look forward to continuing this wonderful partnership in future projects!"

Collage of photos for the October 19, 2024 Community Garden Day.jpeg

Pleasant City Community Garden Open

The City of West Palm Beach and Florida A & M University opened the new Pleasant City Community Garden on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at 2147 Spruce Avenue. Laid out in a specific pattern, the gardening stations have irrigation laid out just waiting for residents to begin growing vegetables.

Sign welcoming visitors to the Pleasant City Community Garden

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Ready to Plant. Gardens have irrigation lines ready to feed seedlings.

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Getting together to open the new Pleasant City Community Garden are, from left, Lucy Joseph, Kimberly Spence. City Commissioner Cathleen Ward, Jennifer Ferriol, Director Housing and Community Development, Tavia Gordon, FAMU Urban Ag Extension Agent, and Nyota King-Sanyang, FAMU EFNEP Extension Program Assistant.

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Opening ceremonies for the Pleasant City Community Garden, 2147 Spruce Avenue. Vegetables served at the opening were harvested from the Coleman Park Community Garden.

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Coleman Park Community Garden Grill-in-the-Garden

Community Gardeners Laquio Bryant, 13, Tavia Gordon, FAMU, Rosaura Alvarez and Adiela Castano

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Grill in the Garden flyer

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Lunchtime in the Community Garden

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Ella Smithexantus, 10, and her little brother, Dymire, 2, get lunch in the Garden

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Sunflower

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Laquio Bryant, 13, young gardener

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Tavia Gordon, FAMU, and Lucy Joseph

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Grill in the Garden lunch

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Tomatoes on the vine with Officer Seth Buxton

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Announcements 

Local Contacts

Tavia Gordon
Urban Extension Agent
FAMU Cooperative Extension
Email: tavia.gordon@famu.edu
Phone: (561) 804-4979 (TTY: 800-955-8771)
Areas of focus include Community Programming in Urban Agriculture, Health and Wellness, Financial Literacy, Economic Development & Entrepreneurship

Nyota King-Sanyang
Extension Program Assistant
FAMU Cooperative Extension
Email: nyota.kingsanyang@famu.edu
Phone: (561) 822-1254
Areas of focus include Nutrition for Children, Adults & Seniors

Stay Connected to the FAMU Cooperative Extension Office

Website: FAMU Cooperative Extension

Social Media:

Call us: (850) 599-3546 - Tallahassee office

Email us: extension@famu.edu

Join our email list: Contact amelia.davis@famu.edu

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