Knox County Community Gardens and Growers Alliance

06/11/2026

We are deeply honored and incredibly grateful that Battlefield Farm and The ONE FIVE Grocery Store has been selected as a large grant recipient through the Trinity Health Foundation of East Tennessee Phase 1 Cycle for 2026.

The Battlefield Team accepted this grant at last week’s luncheon at Cherokee Country Club.

Trinity Health Foundation’s gift is a direct investment in the 37915 community, in fresh food, in dignity, in access, and in possibility.

Thank you for helping this project come to fruition and being a partner in the work that matters.

Ubuntu.

06/11/2026

Great story about our Executive Director Pastor Chris Battle’s mission for the ONE FIVE!

Your Urban Connection

06/08/2026

The Knox County Community Gardens and Growers Alliance held its May monthly membership meeting somewhere a little different, stepping inside the future home of The ONE FIVE, the community-owned grocery store taking shape under Battlefield Farms’ vision for a more food-sovereign Knoxville.

The site visit gave Alliance members an early, up-close look at the space where Chris Battle, founder of Battlefield Farms and Executive Director of the Alliance, laid out what The ONE FIVE is, what it is becoming, and what it will take to get there.

Chris walked our members through the expanded vision for The ONE FIVE. The project converts the former Dollar General at 2265 McCalla Ave. into a full-service brick and mortar, community-centered grocery store and community space designed to address food access and eliminate the food desert in East Knoxville while honoring the city’s legacy of a Black-led, agricultural tradition.

The store’s name carries its own meaning, a nod to the 37915 zip code, as well as selling items at just a nickel over cost. This straight forward principle of a small margin of only a nickel between the cost of an item and its sales price will keep the store sustainable without pricing out the community.

The $1.5 million fundraising campaign is now officially underway. Chris also outlined the campaign’s goals and the role community investment will play in getting the store from a promising space to an open door.

The ONE FIVE is targeting a 2027 opening, and the fundraising campaign is the critical next step. Chris is encouraging our members to share the campaign widely and to think about how their networks, personal, professional, and civic, can help move the needle.

The Alliance will continue to play a role in supporting The ONE FIVE as the project develops. 🫜🪴

05/19/2026

BattleField Farm & Gardens is proud to be a member garden of the Knox County Community Gardens & Growers Alliance where our very own Chris Battle serves as Chief Executive Director. 🌱💚

If you’re passionate about gardening, food access, healthy living, and community growth in Knoxville, make sure to become a member of the Alliance or follow the page to stay up-to-date on everything happening throughout our local gardening and growing community..from community gardens and educational workshops to volunteer opportunities, fresh produce distribution, youth programming, and neighborhood events.

The Knox County Community Gardens & Growers Alliance is a 501c3 community-driven organization dedicated to fighting and eliminating food insecurity, promoting healthy living and empowering our members to grow, harvest, and distribute fresh produce to our underserved communities. Through collaboration with growers and gardens and community partnerships, the Alliance works to create healthier neighborhoods while cultivating connection.

The Alliance’s focus on education and youth development is at the core of the mission, partnering with other organizations to create a food, community, and education to support their programs. We invite you to join as a member and help us make a difference in our community.

Together, we grow more than food ..we grow community. 🌻🥕🍅

Visit the website at https://knoxgardenalliance.org/

05/19/2026

The Alliance participated in Knoxville Utilities Board Spring Days of Service by hosting a volunteer group at the Brown Community Garden. After finishing their work shifts, KUB employees spent a Tuesday afternoon helping revitalize a section of the garden in the 64 bed area by removing invasive Bermuda grass, adding fresh soil, and turning over garden beds in preparation for the spring growing season.

The Congolese community members who steward these beds are incredibly grateful for the fresh start and support. We deeply appreciate the KUB volunteers’ strong work ethic, enthusiasm, and dedication, and we look forward to partnering with KUB for future volunteer events!

🪴🪴🏡🪏

04/16/2026

🌱✨ TOMORROW! Join us, Knoxville on Friday April 17!! We’re inviting everyone out to the Western Heights/ Mechanicsville/ Beaumont community for a special ribbon-cutting and dedication of something powerful taking root right in the neighborhood.

The Miller Heritage Community Garden is located at 1311 Jourolman Ave. This new garden sits on land that has been in one family for over 100 years, generously donated by Sandra Davis Bullis, and is now being transformed into a space to grow fresh food, build community, and fight food insecurity.

The garden features 30 raised beds, including 29 available for neighborhood residents and one dedicated youth garden in partnership with the Western Heights Baptist Center, with produce helping to support the local food pantry while also creating hands-on learning opportunities for youth and families.

As part of the Knox County Community Garden & Grower’s Alliance, a network working to expand access to healthy food across Knoxville, the garden reflects a broader mission to build sustainable, community-driven solutions.

“We believe access to fresh, healthy food is fundamental to both physical and mental well-being,” said Alliance Chief Executive Director Pastor Chris Battle. “The Miller Heritage Community Garden is more than a place to grow food, it’s a place to grow community, invest in our youth, and create solutions that will benefit generations to come. This garden is another tool we are using to fight food insecurity in our community and we are excited to expand into the Mechanicsville and Western Heights neighborhood.”

Event Details:
Friday, April 17, 2026
5:00 P.M.
Miller Heritage Community Garden
1311 Jourolman Ave., Knoxville, TN

🌻

For more information contact:
Angela Dennis
Communications Director
[email protected]

04/16/2026

🌱✨ TOMORROW! Join us, Knoxville on Friday April 17!! We’re inviting everyone out to the Western Heights/ Mechanicsville/ Beaumont community for a special ribbon-cutting and dedication of something powerful taking root right in the neighborhood.

The Miller Heritage Community Garden is located at 1311 Jourolman Ave. This new garden sits on land that has been in one family for over 100 years, generously donated by Sandra Davis Bullis, and is now being transformed into a space to grow fresh food, build community, and fight food insecurity.

The garden features 30 raised beds, including 29 available for neighborhood residents and one dedicated youth garden in partnership with the Western Heights Baptist Center, with produce helping to support the local food pantry while also creating hands-on learning opportunities for youth and families.

As part of the Knox County Community Garden & Grower’s Alliance, a network working to expand access to healthy food across Knoxville, the garden reflects a broader mission to build sustainable, community-driven solutions.

“We believe access to fresh, healthy food is fundamental to both physical and mental well-being,” said Alliance Chief Executive Director Pastor Chris Battle. “The Miller Heritage Community Garden is more than a place to grow food, it’s a place to grow community, invest in our youth, and create solutions that will benefit generations to come. This garden is another tool we are using to fight food insecurity in our community and we are excited to expand into the Mechanicsville and Western Heights neighborhood.”

Event Details:
Friday, April 17, 2026
5:00 P.M.
Miller Heritage Community Garden
1311 Jourolman Ave., Knoxville, TN

🌻

01/22/2026

What exactly does it mean to be a member of the Alliance?? Here's your answer!

Stay tuned in the upcoming months as we highlight some of our amazing members.

01/19/2026

Did you know that MLK Jr. Day is the only federal holiday dedicated to service, referred to as "a day on, not a day off"?
It is a call to turn Dr. King’s legacy of justice and service into action by uplifting communities.

Join us in celebrating by participating in our MLK Days of Service volunteer opportunities!!

01/13/2026

We’re excited to announce that we’re looking to add another member to our team ☀️

Apply on Indeed or by emailing [email protected]

The Administrative Director & Social Media Manager plays a key leadership role in supporting the day-to-day operations, communications, and organizational growth of the nonprofit.

This position blends administrative leadership, organizational coordination, and digital storytelling, ensuring our internal systems run smoothly while our mission and impact are clearly communicated to the public.

This role is ideal for a mission-driven professional who is highly organized, self-motivated, and passionate about community engagement, food equity, and nonprofit sustainability.

The Administrative Director serves as the primary administrative lead and public representative of the Alliance and works closely with the staff, Board of Directors, volunteers, partners, and community stakeholders.

This is a full-time remote or hybrid position, with approximately 4–8 hours per week dedicated to social media management.