🌱 Greater Topsail Community Garden

Growing Healthy Food. Growing Healthy Communities. Growing Hope.

One garden. One community. Countless lives growing stronger together.

What began as an open field in March 2023 has quickly grown into one of southeastern North Carolina's most collaborative volunteer-powered community gardens.

The Greater Topsail Community Garden is a one-acre community garden in Hampstead, North Carolina, made possible through a $10,000 Kiwanis Children's Fund grant awarded in June 2023 and established through a partnership between the Kiwanis Club of Topsail Island Area, Surf City Rotary Club, Share the Table, and more than 50 community partners. Today, the Kiwanis Foundation of Topsail Island Area provides nonprofit stewardship for the garden, while liability insurance is provided through Kiwanis International.

That initial investment became the catalyst for something much bigger. Through grants, donations, volunteer labor, and community partnerships, the garden has grown into a thriving food and education hub featuring more than 40 raised beds, accessible gardening beds, a greenhouse, composting operations, an expanding no-till growing area, and the future 26' × 16' Kiwanis Education Pavilion.

Every vegetable and herb we harvest is donated. Nothing is sold. Every Tuesday and Thursday, our harvest is delivered directly to Share the Table's choice pantry, where families select the fresh produce they know their households will enjoy. Through its pantry, meal programs, and community partnerships, Share the Table serves approximately 1,200 families each week throughout Pender and Onslow Counties, preserving dignity, encouraging healthy eating, and reducing food waste.

Powered entirely by volunteers, the garden grows fresh, healthy food for neighbors experiencing food insecurity while creating a welcoming place where people of all ages and abilities can learn, serve, and thrive together.

🌿 Our Impact (As of June 2026)

🌱 1-acre volunteer-powered community garden

🥕 40+ raised beds, including accessible gardening beds

🌿 Greenhouse, composting operations, expanding no-till growing area, and year-round growing

🍅 4,500+ pounds of fresh produce donated

❤️ 7,000+ volunteer hours

👩‍🌾 400+ volunteers annually, ages 2–85

🤝 50+ community partners

🚚 Fresh produce harvested and delivered twice weekly to Share the Table

🏫 Kiwanis Education Pavilion currently under construction

🌻 Growing Our Impact

Thanks to generous community donations and grants, we are building a 26' × 16' Kiwanis Education Pavilion, creating an outdoor classroom where children, families, volunteers, and lifelong learners can connect through gardening, nutrition, cooking, and environmental education.

The pavilion will expand our ability to offer year-round programming, including:

🌱 Growing Healthy Kids – A Kiwanis Wellness Learning Lab teaching children to grow, cook, and thrive

👩‍🍳 Hands-on nutrition and cooking experiences

🛒 ALDI Family Challenge Take-Home Kits

🏫 School and homeschool educational field trips

🧭 Youth scouting programs and gardening badge opportunities

🌼 Gardening, composting, pollinator, and environmental workshops

🥗 Healthy cooking, nutrition, and food preservation classes

🤝 Community volunteer days, leadership development, and special events

❤️ Why Volunteer?

Some people come because they enjoy gardening.

Others come because they want to give back.

Many simply want to make a difference.

They stay because they discover something even more meaningful.

The Greater Topsail Community Garden is where friendships grow alongside tomatoes, children discover where healthy food comes from, retirees share a lifetime of knowledge, and neighbors work side by side to ensure every family has access to fresh, nutritious food.

Whether you enjoy planting, harvesting, watering, organizing, photography, construction projects, delivering produce, teaching children, or simply lending a helping hand, there is a place for you here.

No gardening experience is necessary. We'll provide the tools, guidance, and encouragement—you simply bring your willingness to help.

Whether you're an individual volunteer, family, homeschool group, school, scouting troop, civic club, church, business, Master Gardener, nutrition professional, chef, or an Eagle Scout looking for a meaningful service project, we'd love to partner with you.

🌼 Join Us!

Volunteer Days

📅 Every Tuesday & Thursday

🕗 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

✅ No sign-up required

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 All ages welcome

🌱 No gardening experience needed

Contact Us

Cathi Litcher
Community Liaison

📞 919-422-9698

📧 topsailnccommunitygarden@gmail.com

🌱 Grow With Us

Every seed planted, every weed pulled, every tomato harvested, and every hour volunteered helps nourish a neighbor, teach a child, strengthen our community, and grow hope for the future.

Whether you spend one hour or one hundred, you'll leave knowing your time made a lasting difference.

We hope you'll grow with us.

To stay even more connected, feel free to follow us on our social media platforms:

👍 Facebook

💼 LinkedIn

📸 Instagram