By Adrienne Smith

It’s hard to miss the public gardens within New York City’s many neighborhoods. They’re often thriving with flowers and produce, and quietly nestled right into a busy street.

But for every community garden in New York City, many more unused public plots of land exist. That’s where 596 Acres comes in.

What Is 596 Acres?

The program 596 Acres helps New Yorkers revitalize publicly owned vacant land and grow food with their own two hands. The name came from the number of acres - 596 - of vacant public land within Brooklyn in 2011.

596 Acres gives New Yorkers educational resources to legally, easily and safely build up and maintain vacant lots. The program empowers residents by:

• Making municipal information available online and at the lots
• Providing education about city government and ways to participate in decisions that shape neighborhoods
• Assisting communities with legal support and campaign development on land use issues
• Maintaining networks that allow communities to share knowledge and relationships with decision makers
• Working with groups after they get access to land to build sustainable community governance
• Advocating for municipal agencies to increase participatory decision making surrounding public resources

At the core of this mission lies 596 Acres’ interactive map. The map highlights and filters NYC’s public vacant sites - all with potential to become community projects.

The program has helped numerous vacant lots become blooming community gardens. Most recently, a 34-year-old Crown Heights community garden has officially found a permanent home. The 1100 Bergen Community Garden is now protected under the ownership of the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust.

How Can I Get Involved With 596 Acres?

596 Acres is in the middle of a fundraising campaign to keep its staff up and running through mid-2015. Their goal is to raise $25,000 by February 8 - you can make a tax-exempt contribution here.

You can also contribute to 596 Acres through our Nextdoorganics Local Food Fund. Either add a weekly subscription amount or a one-time contribute from our webstore.