Second-year law student Josh Price had always admired the United Way but never had any idea the charitable network had such a close connection with the UWindsor’s community garden.

“I’m a big fan of the United Way and the work they do,” said the Toronto native. “I’ve often walked by this garden and wondered what it was all about. Now I know.”

Price was just one of a handful students and staff from the Faculty of Law who joined a number of campus community volunteers on Friday to take part in a Day of Caring. Their task was to close the garden – located at the corner of Fanchette and California – for the winter.

“We’re taking out the old plants, putting in new top soil and compost and replenishing the paths that surround the garden,” said Rita Haase, a sessional instructor in Women’s Studies and the Faculty of Education who heads up the garden project. “Basically, we’re getting the garden ready for next year.”

Lynn Ridgewell, the United Way’s manager of community and workplace engagement, said her organization regularly partners with groups that run community gardens throughout Windsor-Essex. Earlier this year they organized a youth volunteer challenge which matched secondary students with community gardens. The students earned community service hours, but more importantly, learned about poverty and hunger and how community gardens cam help combat them by supplying local food banks with fresh produce.

“We wanted to make sure students were aware of community gardens and their connections to food banks,” she said. “The people going to food banks aren’t just individuals. They’re families and they need fresh fruits and vegetables.”