Telegraph photo by GRACE PECCI More than 20 volunteers from Gateways Community Services, Souhegan Valley Rotary Club and ReGenerative Roots came together Monday afternoon to create another community garden in Nashua, which will be utilized by local residents who are served by Gateways Community Services, along with five other community members.

NASHUA – More than 20 volunteers from Gateways Community Services, Souhegan Valley Rotary Club and ReGenerative Roots came together Monday afternoon to build a community garden in Nashua, which will be used by local residents served by Gateways Community Services, while also being open to other community members.

The third week of every month, club members work to help organizations in Greater Nashua. Monday, they worked on a garden located at

The garden that was being worked on Monday is located at 33 Atherton Avenue.

Gateways Vice President of Individual & Family Services Nzenalu Obinelo thanked ReGenerative Roots Executive Director Andrew Morin for his role in the effort.

“He didn’t need to do this. I give him big props for how he’s been able to collect people,” Obinelo said. “There’s a lot of civic engagement that we don’t really do anymore.”

Obinelo reached out to Morin for help with building a garden after learning about the work that Regenerative Roots has done with students at Nashua High School North.

ReGenerative Roots offers various educational programs for local students, including a farm-to-school program, through which Morin works with Nashua High School North’s Green Club, an after-school student organization, to revitalize the school’s greenhouse on campus.

In the past month, ReGenerative Roots has partnered up with hundreds of volunteers for various volunteer days, including 75-plus volunteers from Comcast Cares to continue the revitalization of the ReGenerative Roots Community Farm and 50-plus volunteers for Keller Williams Red Day where they expanded and improved the current raised bed garden at Nashua High School North.

ReGenerative Roots volunteer Craig Ouellet helped build two raised beds for the project Monday and has built raised beds for various other community projects in the last few years.

Other volunteers from club, Gateways Community Services and Regenerative Roots helped spread soil and put up fencing. Obinelo said the raised garden beds were constructed at a height so residents and those in wheelchairs can easily access the garden.

“This will be good for residents because they will be able to get out and physically partake in gardening,” Obinelo said. She added that gardening in good for overall well being.

The residents and community members utilizing the garden won’t be the only ones who are benefiting from the garden either.

Obinelo said a portion of the crops grown in the garden will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Nashua, as well as the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter.

She expressed gratitude: “People are truly giving time to this out of the goodness of their hearts.”

Obinelo said this project brings out a real sense of community.

Gateways Community Services delivers services for more than 3,000 individuals with disabilities, families coping with autism and seniors in need of care.

The nonprofit’s website states that organizers provide “innovative, high-quality, long-term services to support individuals throughout their lifetime so they can lead meaningful lives.”

Gateway’s services are offered to residents in Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Mason, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Wilton and Nashua.

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