Submitted by Michael Cote, Outreach Chair michaelcote@fpcivic.org
The North YMCA hosted a fantastic National Night Out on August 4, 2026! Several hundred people attended and many families received free backpacks and school supplies for kids going back to school. There were plenty of children’s games, free haircuts, free food (Steve Jennings grilled over 180 lbs of hotdogs!), music, door prizes, and appearances by Spiderman, Sheriff deputies, and CPD officers! The Forest Park community is very fortunate to have a caring and active partner like the North YMCA centered in the very heart of our neighborhood. The Forest Park Civic Association staffed a table at the event and we enjoyed friendly conversations with residents as well as law enforcement. Furthermore we established contacts with several organizations and members of local government including the Columbus City Council, SWACO, and CRIS, and we will be exploring further collaboration with them in the near future.
The New Americans Garden and Farm Stand hosted several well attended farm markets in July. Many residents from the Forest Park community had the chance to buy fresh cucumbers, green beans, and leafy greens like jamma-jamma and amaranth from local New American gardeners. The Farm Stand is managed by the Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio (BCCO) and will be open every Friday, 10 am – Noon, throughout the growing season. The Nutrition Workshop that the OSU Community Outreach Center of the James Comprehensive Cancer Hospital had scheduled for August 7 was postponed due to rain, but it is expected to be rescheduled soon. Pl;ease check our Facebook page for the new date. All are welcome to attend the workshop, and buy fresh produce from local gardeners. You are cordially invited to come and meet your neighbors and visit the local gardeners from the New Americans community as well as members of the BCCO staff. The Farm Stand is located in the heart of Forest Park at the intersection Karl Rd and Sandalwood Place in front of the North YMCA,1640 Sandalwood Pl.
Green Columbus is back with their annual free tree giveaway! Every spring Green Columbus plants 3,000+ trees at their nursery before giving them away as 4-6 foot trees in the fall to community residents to plant at home. Reserve your free tree now by signing up at greencbus.org/freetrees where you can select from different tree species as well as schedule where to pick up your free tree from among three different sites and dates this fall. You can be a nature-friendly resident in our community and help our Forest Park tree canopy grow by planting a free tree from Green Columbus!
The Northland Unity Festival will be returning to the North YMCA (1640 Sandalwood Pl) this year. The Unity Festival is Northland’s premier community event and will feature music, dance, food vendors, local crafts, and informational resources from local businesses and nonprofit organizations working in Northland. Come and enjoy Northland’s free festival of unity on September 19, 2026, 3-7 pm and celebrate being a part of a multicultural community that gives Northland its reputation as the international gateway to Columbus.