It's been years since plants have grown in the greenhouse at Southwest Gardens in Farrell. But several community volunteers -- dubbed the "Greenhouse Effect" -- are working to change that.

Volunteers from area churches and leaders from the center gathered Tuesday to break ground and plant seeds.

In the fall of 1982, Southwest Gardens' first greenhouse was completed through the work of several organizations and residents. The greenhouse flourished into the early '90s, but later went by the wayside.

Dr. Kim Richards, director, said the new goal is not only to improve the state of the greenhouse, but to expand it.

In January, a gathering of 40 constituents from the center, community and area churches explored options and developed a partnership to better the center. The brainstorming session brought about blue prints for a new greenhouse.

Jeff Greene, a designer and member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sharon, drew up preliminary designs showing plans to extend the greenhouse by 14 feet. In addition, they hope to double the size of the community room, which is used for meetings and events, and enlarge the kitchen.

The new greenhouse should increase opportunity for income for the center and for other programs in the area, including daily life skills, gardening, business development and leadership training.

With the new planting of actual seeds on Tuesday, volunteers were also sowing symbolic seeds of a new beginning.

Former Sharon resident Bruce Fisher of Fisher's Greenhouse in Emlenton provided the seeds for green peppers, hot peppers, two colors of marigolds, and Roma tomatoes, which are great for canning. After the greenhouse expansion, a variety of other plants will be added.

Susan McAndrew of First Presbyterian Church has a small garden of her own at home. She said she likes gardening and plans to do whatever she can to help out.

"I'll help plant seeds and work with the plants when they're started," she said, adding that she'd like to see many flowers.

The partnership between the Gardens and the community will help connect ties through God and build meaningful relationships along different socioeconomic and racial lines, Ms. Richards said.

The greenhouse will be an incubator for economic development and employment opportunities, offering wholesale and retail herbs, flowers and vegetables for retail sales, she said.

The kitchen's expansion will allow for teaching and learning sessions, such as with vegetable and fruit canning classes. Collaborations among area school districts and the Penn State Expansion Service will also be ongoing.

"The greenhouse is a foundational part of Southwest Gardens. We wanted to work with the mission in some way. It's a way to bring different people and churches from the community together to work together as a mission project," Greene said.

Southwest Gardens offers other programs, including support groups, after-school programs, drug and alcohol recovery, housing programs and cultural enrichment.

A fundraiser banquet for the greenhouse is set for 6 p.m. April 26. Tickets can be purchased through Southwest Gardens, First Presbyterian Church and Covenant Presbyterian Church.