Celebrating a New Garden at Rutgers Houses

On May 9, residents of Rutgers Houses on the Lower East Side celebrated the opening of a new community garden with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, thanks to a collaboration between the non-profits Grand Street Settlement and Chefs for Impact. While providing a revitalized space for the community to grow their own food, the garden will also educate approximately 100 kids about healthy and ecologically sustainable food practices through afterschool programs. The garden features six planters with strawberries and herbs, and more produce will be planted soon by schoolchildren and residents.

“It is a priceless experience for the Rutgers Houses kids to have an opportunity to see their food from start to finish and be involved in the entire process, from planting the seeds, nourishing it, and eventually cooking it in the classroom or inside their house,” said Amy Huang, Program Manager at Grand Street Settlement.

The ribbon-cutting event was attended by Rutgers residents, neighborhood leaders, and elected officials, including City Councilmember Christopher Marte.

Photo credit: Grand Street Settlement