About Grandma’s Garden Grandma’s Garden serves as a focal point of the economic development projects which the Business and Economic Revitalization Association (BERA) has undertaken in the last 11 years. “Economic development is fundamentally about enhancing the factors of productive capacity-land, labor, capital, and technology-of a national, state or local economy.”  Managing Grandma’s Garden is a tool which enhances the environment (physical, psychological, cultural and entrepreneurial) of the Greater Grand Crossing Community/Park Manor Neighborhood. We currently have 14 beds/areas and we are planning to expand the numbers to include more in the vegetable section. In 2007 BERA promoted the “Healthy Community” concept. Grandma’s Garden is one of the areas in which this concept was promoted. We expanded the garden to include a vegetable section which serves as a reminder for business people, busy people, sick people and well people to eat better in order to live better. Grandma’s Garden, now a noted area within the community, enhances the quality of life for the community dwellers and it celebrates and encourages the power of partnership in building and stabilizing the community. We now get ‘gentle reminders’ during the slow growing periods, and great accolades when Grandma’s Garden is in full bloom.  Many seniors are encouraged by the beauty of the Garden as they wait for public transportation or take their daily walks. Project Resources BERA is in partnership with the Master Gardener Program through the University of Illinois Extension. An annual schedule is developed which permits 3-5 Master Gardeners to complete their 60-hour volunteer program requirement. BERA will also recruit and use volunteers from the Regional Strategic Planning Committee in order to encourage a duplication of gardens throughout the region. BERA receives a mini-grant from the Department of Environment towards the development and maintenance of Grandma’s Garden. The originator of Grandma’s Garden is known to many as ‘Grandma’.  This humble, yet tireless woman never seeks any credit or accolades, but she makes sure the job is done. She now resides in a senior development outside of the community but returns at the beginning of the season for the garden clean-up and monitors our progress throughout the year.