Bradford-- Mayor Giuliani's government did set up many of those community gardens for sale, but at the last minute the actress Bette Midler stepped in and donated enough money to save a large chunk of them. Hooray for Bette! Rick -- Try contacting Operation Greenthumb, a unit of the City's Parks Department that assists many community gardens in the city. Their number is (212) 788-8059, and their offices are located at 49 Chambers Street, Room 1020, NYC 10007. (It's near City Hall.) If Greenthumb can't help, try the Green Guerillas (http://www.greenguerillas.org/).
I am the caretaker for the Dodge House, a musem and gardens (circa 1721)located in Port Washington, NY. and am planning for a community vegetable garden on the property. Port Washington (pop. 35,000+)is a suburb of NYC on LI. I'm looking for any info. re: fund raising, organization, suggestions, etc. I hope to bring children and adults from the community together to work the garden.
Here is a link that might be useful: Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society