FAQs

The garden is located at 412 Bank Street in Downtown Nofolk, which is near Scope Arena, Chrysler Hall, and the Virginia Arts Festival.
20% of our gardeners are first time gardeners. We offer virtual training materials and host Norfolk Master Gardeners on-site to provide guidance and mentorship.
The open compost bins at the garden are ONLY for garden materials generated at the garden. Please do not place bagged and/or unbagged materials in this area. If you’d like to bring food waste items, you must subscribe to the Tidewater Compost drop-off kiosk service.
As a mixed-income allotment garden, each plot owner decides where their produce goes. While many individuals and families grow for personal consumption, organizations and schools typically grow produce for donation, distributing it through the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, as well as community refrigerators located throughout the city.

The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore keeps a comprehensive listing of all food and mobile pantries throughout Hampton Roads.
The best resources is the City of Norfolk Street Sheet produced by the Community Service Board.
Yes – our award winning, garden model is fully exportable, and we love to share it. Please email us at downtownnorfolkcommunitygarden@gmail.com.

To join, please fill out the interest survey and we will contact you regarding bed availability, volunteering, and/or donating.
Annual membership runs February to February and costs $40 per year. If this amount does not meet your budget, we offer beds at reduced rates or free of charge through our “zero questions asked” policy.
No – we understand that the garden is just one part of people's busy lives, and many of our gardeners work multiple jobs with varying shifts. With that in mind, we ask individuals and families to support the garden whenever possible by contributing to the published task lists.
We have a significant waitlist due to demand exceeding available space. Typically, individuals and families wait 1-2 seasons (3-6 months) before receiving a bed. Priority is given to those who actively engage in the garden community through volunteer events and supporting activities, as well as to individuals and families in the Downtown Norfolk and St. Paul’s communities.

Yes – we operate an independent account under Freemason Street Baptist Church. Churches that meet the requirements of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code are automatically considered tax exempt. Donors are allowed to claim a charitable deduction for donations to a church that meets the section 501(c)(3) requirements even though the church has neither sought nor received IRS recognition that it is tax exempt.
Yes – we host volunteer events for larger groups and organizations. We offer recurring opportunities for sustained impact and one-off events for organizations. Please email us if interested at downtownnorfolkcommunitygarden@gmail.com.
Garden apparel can be purchased through our Bonfire store using the links at the bottom of this page. All proceeds will be utilized to purchase a sign for the garden.