United Way of Kershaw County Community Gardens Recognized
The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) bestowed The People’s Garden designation for community gardens in Kershaw County. November 9, 2023 at the Kershaw County Recreation Department, 1042 W Dekalb Street in Camden, garden teams were celebrated and recognized for their hard work.

September 2021, United Way of Kershaw County entered into a three-year cooperative agreement with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) as a part of the NRCS South Carolina Food Connection Initiative for the purpose of developing the Communities Reaching Out Partnership (CROP) to address food insecurity in Kershaw County. Under the agreement, which includes more than $357,000 in federal funding, eight community gardens with 67 garden beds were established within Kershaw County. People’s Garden designation goes to Belmont Baptist Church in Westville, Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church in Lugoff, Blanketing Families in Elgin, Good Hope AME Zion Methodist Church in Camden, KC Rec Department Tennis Courts in Camden, Old McCaskill’s Farm in Rembert, and Saint John Missionary Baptist Church in Camden.

“The success and work put into these locations assisted with United Way of Kershaw County applying for and receiving the USDA People’s Garden designation for these garden sites,” said Darvis Jordan, SC NRCS Asst. State Conservationist for Partnerships.