Troy McMillan

Although Troy McMillan was born in Chicago, hers was a military family, and she has lived on three continents. When she came to Edgewater in 1999, Troy immediately became active in the community, first with the Edgewater North Neighbors block club (ENN) and then joining the Edgewater Community Council (ECC). “The block club structure here is wonderful,” she said. “It’s organized; it’s cohesive; it brings people together.”

As a member of ENN, she led the drive to create a community garden on an eyesore plot of land at Rosemont and Broadway. The Vedgewater project involved a collaborative effort among ENN, Loyola University, the Peterson Garden Project and the 40th ward office. It took a determined effort to make it happen, but through the work of these various community groups Vedgewater was born. Almost 200 gardeners went to work using the good earth to grow their own vegetables and also to provide food for the needy through Care for Real.

Troy McMillan:
“It’s one of the most diverse areas in the city and perhaps the
whole of the United States. If togetherness can happen here,
then it can happen anywhere.”

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