Community holds Sit in and supply drive after community garden is razed

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Local organizations teamed up to host a sit-in and supply drive at the former Renaissance Community Garden Friday.

Protesters held a sit-in in the vacant lot that was once the Renaissance Park Community Garden while Jolt and LULA teamed up to educate the community, and gather supplies for the homeless in Peoria.

Local Activist Isabella Rinald who organized the sit-in said she was appalled by the destruction of the garden, and hoped the sit-in will help celebrate what the park meant to the community.

“We are going to bring musical instruments and really raise awareness to what this once stood as an artistic community garden,” Rinald said. “Somewhere where people could seek sanctuary, something that provided food to the food insecure, something that provided sanctuary to the housing insecure as well, so it is really celebrating what the park meant to us”.

Those who participated in the sit-in were encouraged to donate supplies including cases of water, socks, blankets, men’s jeans, men’s shoes, men’s underwear, Walmart gift cards, and sleeping bags.

Founding member of LULA Jessica McGhee said the drive is incredibly important to supporting the homeless in Peoria.

“There has been an explosion of homelessness in Peoria, and so being able to provide clean socks clean clothing, clean water to drink, food items and everything else that we provide as an organization is incredibly important, you are talking about people who have nothing,” McGhee said.

You can learn more about Jolt and LULA on their websites.