Ameren Grant Funds Accessible Plots at Peoria Garden

Ameren has provided a grant to My Mother's Community Garden in Peoria to make its plots more accessible.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Philanthropy

Ameren Grant Funds Accessible Plots at Peoria Garden

Live Poll

Do you think access to fresh food in your neighborhood is getting better?

Ameren provided a grant to My Mother's Community Garden in Peoria, which will be used to raise some garden plots to make them more accessible to people with disabilities. The garden, owned by Cheryll Boswell, has operated in the Peoria area since 2011 with the goal of helping families eat.

Why it matters

The garden sits in a part of Peoria that is a food desert, so improving access to its plots could widen the community's access to fresh produce. Ameren says it supports the places it serves and wants to back what matters to the community.

The garden has served the Peoria area since 2011, when it began operating. The grant amount and the number of plots to be raised have not been disclosed.

The players

Ameren

Ameren is an Illinois-based energy company that provides electric and gas service and emphasizes community support in the areas it serves.

Cheryll Boswell

Cheryll Boswell is the owner of My Mother's Community Garden in Peoria, which aims to help families eat.

Ruthie Bertram

Ruthie Bertram is Ameren's community relations coordinator and oversaw the company's grant to the garden.

The details

Ameren presented a check to My Mother's Community Garden, and the garden's owner, Cheryll Boswell, plans to use the money to raise some plots. The changes are intended to make the garden more accessible to people with disabilities.

2011: My Mother's Community Garden begins operating in the Peoria area.
November 12, 2026: Ameren's grant to the garden is announced.

Philanthropy Context

Peoria's garden sits in an area the USDA classifies as a food desert, a designation tied to limited supermarket access in low-income neighborhoods. Community gardens like this one are a local response to that gap, and Ameren's grant extends that effort by improving physical access for residents with disabilities.

Residents with disabilities may find the garden's plots easier to use once the raised beds are built. Families in the surrounding food desert gain another local source of fresh produce.

The takeaway

Local grants can make community resources reachable for more residents, especially in areas where fresh food is hard to find. Supporting neighborhood gardens is one practical way to strengthen access to healthy food.