Fort Worth resident Kasandra Ewing, 58, grew up in Morningside. She moved away to Southwest Fort Worth, but when her mother passed she returned to her childhood home.
Ewing loves renovating, gardening and other at-home projects, she said. That made her the perfect person to receive a community garden.
“I love gardening, and I love fresh vegetables and fruits,” Ewing said.
A volunteer helps build a community garden in Morningside on June 30. Southside Community Garden built its 51st community garden in the 76104 ZIP code. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
A volunteer places a plant into a garden bed on June 30. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Southside Community Garden volunteers plant vegetables on June 30. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Kasandra Ewing, 58, helps plant seeds in her new garden. Southside Community Garden, a program focused on addressing food insecurity in the 76104 ZIP code, planted three gardens, including Ewing’s on June 30. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Kasandra Ewing, 58, plants seeds in her newly installed garden on June 30. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Kasandra Ewing, 58, helps spread mulch on June 30. Ewing and volunteers installed a community garden at her home in Morningside. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Fort Worth resident Kasandra Ewing, 58, poses with her newly installed community garden on June 30. Ewing grew up in Morningside and moved to Southwest Fort Worth, but she eventually moved back to her childhood home after her mother passed. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Fort Worth District 6 Councilman Jared Williams helps build community garden on June 30 in the Morningside neighborhood. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report)
Ewing’s home was the site of three new community gardens planted Thursday in the 76104 ZIP code, bringing the total number of gardens Southside Community Garden has built in 76104 up to 51. The area has a life expectancy of 66.7 years – 11.8 years under the state average of 78.5.
Southside Community Garden Founder Patrice Jones said the ZIP code can be described as a “food apartheid.” Southside Community Garden is a program lead by nonprofit By Any Means 104.
“The goal is to have 1,000 of these out across 76104 to give people fresh produce access and teach people how to grow their own food,” Jones said.
Ewing planted cowpeas, okra, peppers, basil and tomatoes in her front-yard garden.
“I can’t wait to start watering my garden and vegetables,” Ewing said. “I’m so excited. I am so happy.”
Editor’s note: This article was updated to reflect Patrice Jones’ official title.
Cristian ArguetaSoto is the community engagement journalist at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him by email or via Twitter. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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