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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- This holiday season FOX21 News is teaming up with the Colorado Springs Independent to profile local charities as part of the GIVE! campaign. This week's featured nonprofit organization is Pikes Peak Urban Gardens (PPUG).

PPUG is a nonprofit dedicated to cultivating community through organic gardening and sustainable urban farm projects.

"What we have found is people like to garden, and they like to garden in community gardens because it builds community. People in the neighborhood that normally do not talk come here and they learn about one another and they share stories about their vegetables and they actually become friends," Elise Bowan, assistant director with PPUG said.

Bowan said they have started seven gardens and three farms to date. She said the one located in Old Colorado City is home to 17 plots all taken care of by different families who live on the west side.

As far as the land where the garden sits, it was once occupied by an old hotel, but has since been bought by a couple who also live on the west side who then loaned it to PPUG.

"We could not have been more happy. It builds community and it is a lot of fun, and my husband and I are like the worst gardeners here so people are always helping us and every so often we have a tip to offer, so it is just terrific," Irene Lucas said.

Along with fostering community, PPUG also provides educational outreach to schools. In addition, the nonprofit has been in talks with the city to build gardens in local parks.

"Because the ballot measure did not go through the city said some of their parks are not going to be maintained the way they want them to, so they have asked us to establish a few community gardens around town to help areas that would otherwise go into disrepair," said Larry Stebbins, director of PPUG.

As for the families who use the garden they say it has been a wonderful learning experience along with a great chance to connect with their neighbors and enjoy homegrown fruits and vegetables.

"It is pretty fun and I like a lot of the food we grow," gardener Bennett Spangler said.

"It can be really hard work, and it is not up to nature to grow it for you, you have to grow it yourself by watering it and plating seeds and harvesting it," gardener Grant Spangler said.

"There is a lot of good food, like tomatoes and squash and all kinds of stuff," gardener Kaiden Peterson said.

To learn more about Pikes Peak Urban Gardens click here.