Ray's Place in Bridgeport Community Garden

R. Ray Rankin, affectionately known as Ray or R. Ray by his family, was an avid gardener. Ray’s garden was magnificent. Even though their home was right off the highway, and eventually next door to the Dollar General, he worked tirelessly to create a private oasis surrounded by bamboo, where his grandchildren loved to visit and escape “city life.” They enjoyed helping their granddad work in his garden!

Following Ray's passing in April of this year, my mother-in-law moved back to Bridgeport, where she and Ray grew up, met, and fell in love. The family thought the Bridgeport Community Garden would be the perfect place to celebrate and honor Ray, and North Texas Giving Day is the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to Ray's generous spirit!

The Bridgeport Community Garden is located at Payne Park. There is so much to see and do at the garden, which features a fully operational barn for processing produce, hosting cooking classes, and storing supplies. There’s also a kids’ corner, offering a learning experience for all ages.

There are over 19 raised beds, with multiple organizations and volunteers contributing to the building, harvesting, and upkeep of the garden. These organizations include local churches, as well as nonprofit and civic organizations. To date, the garden has produced and distributed over 2,200 pounds of produce and logged over 900 volunteer hours!

Access to fresh, local food is limited or nonexistent for many residents in the suburban community of Bridgeport. The latest studies show that 14.4% of the population struggles with food access. High levels of food insecurity are correlated with higher rates of health disparities, chronic disease, and poor health outcomes. The garden was created to provide access to fresh produce, making it accessible to all.

Please join me this North Texas Giving Day in honoring Ray and supporting the Bridgeport Community Garden!

Thank you,

Julie