Hero Story

Barb Matney serves the Warrendale community. Warrendale is located on the west side of the City of Detroit in Wayne County in the 48228 zip code. Warrendale is rich in diversity and has several active block clubs and community organizations; however, it is one of the most disenfranchised areas in the city.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 46.4% of Warrendale’s population live below the poverty line. Additionally, the annual median household income is $23,149. This is compared to the City of Detroit which is $27,838. Lastly, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Warrendale’s unemployment rate is higher than the City of Detroit, 20.5% respectively.

Barb Matney, founder of the ‘In Memory of…Community Garden’ and lifelong resident of Warrendale, has transformed her community through a grassroots approach. The In Memory of…Community Garden, created in 2015, transformed dilapidated empty lots into what are now beautiful open spaces.

In 2016, Barb took part in the city’s Side Lot program. Mrs. Matney started by purchasing two vacant lots outside her home. Since this time, the garden has grown to cover ten lots across three corners of the neighborhood. An organic fruit and vegetable garden provides sustainable, locally grown food, from yellow beans to collard greens, cabbage, cucumber, strawberries, and more, which residents can buy or volunteer for or are able to receive free of charge fruits and vegetables from the solar greenhouse.

The neighboring orchard offers armfuls of apples, peaches, plums, and pears, while the butterfly garden provides a space for locals to rest with a book from the garden’s own library. The garden doubled in size in 2019 and now includes a pocket park with a playscape, swings, outdoor gym equipment, solar pavilion, and rain garden. This park has become a much-needed safe space for children and families to come together for play, exercise, and socialization.

Barb and her husband Joe have been at the forefront of transforming their neighborhood. With the support from the community and local elected officials, they purchased the land, organized a successful crowdfunding campaign, raised funds for play equipment, and with mobilization efforts and enthusiasm from members of the community, the project has attracted numerous volunteers.

Ms. Matney currently manages a total of 20 volunteers. Volunteers cumulatively work between 40-80 hours a week during the spring, summer, and fall months from April to November when the garden requires the most maintenance. Through these efforts, the volunteers have been able to sustain and help grow the garden, as well as assist with the development of the playscape and the orchard.

Barb has produced lasting change and has visibly impacted the Warrendale community through the projects listed above. Barb was inspired to create the ‘In Memory of…Community Garden’ after noticing that the abandoned houses and associated high rates of crime were affecting her neighbors and the neighborhood. Thus, she noticed her neighbors becoming increasingly more isolated. Barb felt community members were not making as much of an effort to get to know their neighbors. She explained that “everyone kept their blinds closed, and no one left their homes.”

Barb also noticed that the local children were playing in abandoned homes and empty lots that were full of trash. This saddened her. She was dismayed by the fact that the neighborhood children did not have access to the same neighborhood parks she enjoyed while growing up. Where others saw the surrounding empty lots as eyesores, Barb saw potential.

When Mrs. Matney bought the two vacant lots behind her home in 2015 and began to transform them into the beautiful garden that exists today, she explained that her neighbors thought she was crazy. However, just three years later, the garden has transformed the lives of Warrendale’s residents. Children now have a safe space to play and her neighbors now have access to affordable, healthy, organic fruits and vegetables. The In Memory of...Community Garden and Minock-Whitlock Park is currently the only Project Green Light community space in the City of Detroit.

However, what Barb is most proud of, is how this outdoor space has motivated Warrendale residents to come out of their homes and spend time outside again. She explains that she sees more people walking their dogs, riding bicycles, and sitting and playing in the park.

Providing a beautiful, peaceful space amid the blight has helped the area become a more vibrant and sustainable neighborhood again. The impact of looking out at something positive from the Matney’s front window has even motivated others in the district to take better care of their own properties by picking up trash and mowing the grass in surrounding vacant lots.

Barb has successfully engaged local people to come to the park and volunteer time towards its upkeep through continuous dialogue with the community. She manages an ‘In Memory of…Community Garden’ Facebook page, posting updates about what is currently growing in the garden and inviting feedback from garden and park users. However, Barb says a lot of the feedback is personal.

People stop her when they see her in the area to give their opinions and ask for updates. Warrendale residents are excited and interested in how they can personally be involved in helping the garden thrive.

Barb’s recent crowdfunding campaign raised a total of $25,000. This funding was used to purchase play equipment for phase one of the park. However, Barb explained that nearly all of the funding received was through small donations from her neighbors, consisting of five to twenty-dollar donations. People were giving what little they had to support their local park.

Volunteers have approached Barb to work in the park from as far away as Flint. Among them are people who moved away from the area who, inspired by the community garden, return to be involved in the project. Phase two of the project has also included fundraising donation dollars as well as receiving competitive grant awards.

Barb has truly excelled in her appreciation for diversity within the Warrendale community. She works diligently to ensure that the community garden reflects the needs of all its members, no matter what their ethnicity, religion, or language. Mrs. Matney goes out of her way to create ways she can continue engaging with the many ethnic populations residing in the neighborhood, ensuring the garden meets their needs.

Barb realized that the Hispanic and Middle Eastern populations of Warrendale were unable to access information about the garden, which was only available in English. Therefore, she liaised with diverse members of the community to ensure all of the project’s resources are now available in Spanish and Arabic. Barb’s mission is grounded in respect for the people around her and breaking down barriers between communities, so they are better able to work together.

Barb has lived in the Warrendale neighborhood her entire life. She is the recipient of numerous local, state, and national awards in recognition of her passion for uplifting her neighborhood. These awards include the following:
• 2017 Distinction in Placemaking award at the 2017 Detroit Community Development Awards
• People’s Choice Award
• Spirit of Detroit Award
• Award from Cody Rouge Community Alliance
• Power of One Dedicated Woman Award from the Neighborhood Exchange/Michigan Community Resources
• Certificate of Achievement from District 7 for the Most Beautiful Garden

“The transformation in Warrendale is an example of what can be done when you give back from your heart and spirit.” Ladon Davis, Office of Council Member Fred Durhal’s, District 7.