Gardeners Growing Healthy Communities (GGHC) creates and maintains gardens to provide free, locally grown fruits and vegetables to residents of the Oxford Hills and greater Rumford areas. We use the harvests to deliver health, education, and economic benefits to participants while promoting multi-cultural and intergenerational connections. Gardeners Growing Healthy Communities is a diverse group of volunteers drawn together by our interest in gardening and our conviction that individuals working together for the common good can make a difference. Our inspiration for this project takes many forms: Most of us are gardeners wanting to share our love of growing as well as the harvest. Many of us love to talk about and cook food.  Sharing new tastes and recipes gives us joy. We are motivated to reduce food waste, beginning in our own gardens. And, all of us believe communities are stronger when everyone has access to local, fresh fruits and vegetables. We accomplish our mission by tapping into the passion held by many people looking for an engaging, hands-on way to “make a difference” in our communities.   Yearly garden training is offered, resulting in new volunteers (there are currently 27 in the class) committed to returning a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer time in the gardens during the growing season. This year participants include Food Corps members, Master Gardeners, a high school student as well as retired and working adults. We have a well-established 3/4 acre garden in Rumford and, last year, trialed the program in the South Paris area on donated land. The harvests from the gardens combined with donations from local farmers and backyard gardeners were distributed directly to families and individuals (approximately 100 families per week) every Tuesday and Thursday during the growing season.  Last year, over 19,000 pounds of fresh produce was given to those with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables.