For New Albany Master Gardener Volunteer Susan Benedetti, gardening isn’t just about what grows in the ground – it’s about giving.
As a lead volunteer and board member for New Albany’s Garden for All, she dedicates much of her time to cultivating not only food for those in need but also a sense of connection and purpose within the community.
Over the years, her work has helped bring recognition to both herself and the Garden – momentum she hopes will continue to grow well into the future.
Marci Leveillee/Garden for All
From career to calling
Benedetti has called New Albany home for the past 25 years, and central Ohio home since 1980, after moving to the area following her college graduation. After earning a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, she began her career in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, eventually transitioning into the IT field, where she helped modernize business systems for nearly 40 years.
While gardening was a part of Benedetti’s childhood, it didn’t always feel like a passion. However, following her retirement, she found herself looking for a way to stay connected – that’s when she rediscovered a love for the hobby.
“I was raised growing vegetables, eating out of the garden and butchering. We lived a rural lifestyle. So, I grew up with gardening, but it was a chore as a child,” says Benedetti. “But then I became interested in OSU’s agricultural volunteer projects.”
In 2018, she applied to become a master gardener through The Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) program. The program consists of 40 to 50 hours of training and 50 hours of volunteer service, followed by a certification test. Once certified, MGVs must maintain 20 to 25 service hours and 10 continuing education hours per year. Racking up about 1,000 hours of volunteer work per year, Benedetti well-surpasses that requirement.
Joking that her husband now calls her a “career volunteer,” Benedetti says: “It’s just very rewarding to give back. I find non-profit work very purposeful.”
It wasn’t until 2023 that Benedetti happened upon the Garden for All.
Founded in 2020 by Shawn Duffy and Reverend Catherine Duffy, the Garden for All was originally a COVID-19 project: a small plot planted at the All Saints Episcopal Church on Johnstown Road, meant to support the New Albany Food Pantry.
While it started as a personal endeavor, the Garden quickly grew, leading the Duffys’ to search for technical assistance – a position that happened to fit Benedetti perfectly.
“They invited me to work for them, and I never looked back,” says Benedetti.
Garden for All
Marci Leveillee/Garden for All, Ella Jay
Today, the Garden for All has expanded exponentially, becoming an official nonprofit, garnering hundreds of volunteers as well as additional growing space – including a high tunnel and a secondary, 3-acre farm in Johnstown – and extending its community reach. As a comparison, the Garden donated 750 pounds of produce in its first year; last year, it donated 36,000.
The Garden grows 20-plus types of organic produce, from carrots and sweet potatoes to cucumbers and yellow squash, as well as 10-plus types of fresh flowers. Everything grown in the Garden is donated to 10 local food pantries across Franklin and Licking counties.
“We’re not growing to make money, but to feed people who aren’t getting nutritional food,” says Benedetti. “There are a lot of food deserts in the Columbus area.”
Throughout the growing season, the Garden’s operations are carefully coordinated by Benedetti and others, starting with meetings with the food pantries to determine their needs.
Seeds are then started in a growing room inside the church before being transplanted outside. Spring vegetables grow in the high tunnel until their April harvest, followed by summer crops out in the fields which are harvested through September, while winter produce is planted soon after the spring harvest to grow in the tunnel and allow for continued delivery year-round.
But beyond the rows of veggies and the buzzing pollinator meadow, Benedetti says it’s the people who truly bring the Garden to life, and as an MGV and board member, she plays a large role in finding new volunteers and partnership opportunities.
“We get a lot of volunteers from all walks of life. I just love recruiting and helping the volunteers,” says Benedetti. “We try to arrange groups for big activities, so everyone walks away with a good experience. Volunteers can do different roles, from gardening to packaging to transporting produce.”
Alongside the pantries, Benedetti says the Garden also works closely with local schools, the New Albany Branch Library, the New Albany Farmers Market and VISTA volunteers to connect with the community through educational events, garden tours, workshops and more.
“We don’t give awards, but we recognize people for all they do, because they’re not incentivized by money, but by what they do. They believe in the mission,” says Benedetti. “People give a lot of their time. It just speaks highly of the people in the community.”
Marci Leveillee/Garden for All
Susan poses with her Bill Dawson award.
A harvest worth celebrating
Benedetti herself recently received some of that recognition thanks to the Garden for All nominating her for the 2025 Bill Dawson Community Gardener of the Year Award. Presented by the Franklin Park Conservatory to individuals who show dedication to and demonstrate leadership within their community gardens, Benedetti was honored to get the award.
“It was very cool. I don’t need awards and publicity, but it’s nice to be recognized,” Benedetti says.
Simultaneously, Benedetti nominated the Garden for All for the 2025 Outstanding OSU Master Gardener Volunteer Site – Large Program award. A category winner, Benedetti accepted $600 on behalf of the Garden, donating it back to buy the nonprofit a new seeder.
“We didn’t even know we nominated each other. We both won at the same time!” recalls Benedetti. “That was such a great evening because I had no idea, I wasn’t there to accept the Bill Dawson award because I was accepting the other one, but it was just meant to be.”
Ella Jay is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at ejay@cityscenemediagroup.com.
