Spring will soon arrive to chase away the cold gray days of winter, and as people look for opportunities to spend more time outdoors, one local agency is offering a program that just might inspire the green thumbs of Franklin County.

The Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama will be hosting the Gerald Williams Cooperative Garden Program March 26. Free vegetable seeds, plants and fertilizer are provided to help local residents who want to grow their own gardens. More than 1,000 families are expected to benefit from this annual program.

To participate in the Cooperative Garden Program, applicants must reside in Lauderdale, Colbert or Franklin counties, and their income must not exceed the monthly gross amount designated. For more information call 256-248-1921 between 1-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.