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Community
Garden for Older Adults in Philadelphia
receives grant from PA Department of Aging
PHILADELPHIA, July 2010/PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- The Pennsylvania Department of Aging
today announced a nutrition services grant
to help members of the Nationalities Service
Center Senior Center tend their community
garden in North Philadelphia. The food grown
there is used in preparing meals for center
members.
"This innovative project is helping to
provide fresh and nutritious food for center
members and creates camaraderie by providing
an area for older adults to tend to their
gardens together," said Deputy Secretary of
Aging Ray Prushnok.
The project, which is receiving more than
$26,000, is one of 47 projects in 42
counties selected for funding through a
competitive bid process. The funding is from
a $3.7 million allotment made possible by
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
and distributed by the Department of Aging.
The garden is located on the grounds of Our
Lady of Hope Church on Broad Street and
features individual plots as well as a large
community space. The project offers an
opportunity for younger people, volunteers
and neighbors to become involved in an
effort that gives older adults access to
locally grown, fresh produce.
The center, which opened in 1986, serves
older immigrants and refugees from Vietnam,
China, Cambodia, Laos, Iraq and other
countries, as well as people born in the
United States.
Many of them are among the most underserved
and vulnerable members of the community.
Center members had a hand in selecting
plants and seeds for the garden that
supplies food for their daily lunches.
No chemicals or pesticides are used and
barrels collect rainwater to water the
plots. Food waste is composted for re-use in
the growing process. Fruits, herbs and
vegetables from Southeast Asia, Eastern
Europe, the southern United States and
Pennsylvania native plants are being grown.
For more information, visit
www.aging.state.pa.us or call 717
783-1549.
