Growing Together: Meet Christie Koester, H.O.P.E. Gardens’ Community and Home Garden Coordinator
H.O.P.E. Gardens is built on the belief that a garden can change a life, a neighborhood, and even a city. Few people embody that belief more beautifully than Christie Koester, our Community and Home Garden Coordinator, who joined the team in November 2025. With deep roots in nonprofit work and a lifelong passion for community-driven food solutions, Christie brings warmth, wisdom, and contagious enthusiasm to every garden bed she touches.
A Calling Planted in Community
When asked what drew her to H.O.P.E. Gardens, Christie lights up.
She believes wholeheartedly in the power of people working together to imagine and build a better future.
“I believe in the power of people to work together in imagining a better future together and transforming their communities,” she shares. “I love the idea of harnessing community to grow the mission of H.O.P.E. Gardens in helping other people eat.”
Her commitment to community-led solutions to hunger and food access runs deep. Christie delights in giving people the tools and confidence to grow their own food, while nurturing the relationships that naturally sprout in shared garden spaces.
“Garden people are the best people,” she says with a smile. “There’s nothing like sharing in the joy, triumph, and unexpected surprises you find every day in a garden.”
A Career Cultivated in Nonprofits and Urban Agriculture
Long before joining the H.O.P.E. Gardens staff, Christie was already living out the mission.
Her entire professional career has been spent in the nonprofit world, including previous involvement with H.O.P.E. Gardens. Most recently, she served as the lead garden manager and educator of Countryside Elementary’s learning garden in Byron Center. There, she brought hands-on gardening and leadership experiences to students through classroom lessons, summer volunteer days, and the beloved 3rd–4th grade Horticulturist Teams.
Her community commitment doesn’t end in the garden. Christie also serves on the board of Byron Friends of the Library in support of the Kent District Library’s Byron Township branch.
Before moving to Michigan, Christie immersed herself in urban agriculture in Indianapolis. She:
- Completed an urban farming apprenticeship in downtown Indianapolis
- Served as operations and grants manager for a farming nonprofit
- Co-founded and managed a thriving community garden in the Keystone-Monon neighborhood
When she relocated to Grand Rapids six years ago, Christie quickly found her way to H.O.P.E. Gardens first by volunteering, then joining the board as treasurer and supporting fund development. Her journey with us has come full circle in the most meaningful way.
What She Loves Most About Her Work
For Christie, the heart of H.O.P.E. Gardens is unmistakable: the people.
“I believe in the power of community,” she says. “Every person brings a unique skill, perspective, piece of knowledge, or expertise to the table. We are stronger together by far, and no place is that more evident than in a community garden.”
She cherishes the connections that form when neighbors, who might otherwise never meet, work side by side toward the shared purpose of growing food. Gardening together, she says, is simply more fun.
And as for the H.O.P.E. Gardens staff?
“The people who work at HOPE Gardens are genuinely wonderful. Garden people are the best people!”
Looking Ahead
With Christie coordinating our community and home garden programs, H.O.P.E. Gardens is poised to deepen its roots in neighborhoods across West Michigan. Her vision, experience, and wholehearted belief in people make her an extraordinary addition to our team.
We are grateful to have her tending not just gardens, but the communities that grow around them.
