Whole Foods Charity, Teens To Grow Tons of Produce For NYC

March 10, 2020 IGrow PreOwned

Students of Martin Luther King, Jr. Educational Campus in Manhattan are feeding thousands at school lunches from what they grow at an indoor hydroponic farm. ( Photo courtesy The Parkside Group )

Amy Sowder

March 3, 2020

A group of New York City teens grew enough food in an indoor hydroponic farm to feed more than 2,000 students at lunch, with the help of a Whole Kids Foundation partnership with Teens for Food Justice.

Industry leaders and local elected officials attended a press conference Feb. 28, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Educational Campus where students, along with staff and community members, have built a hydroponic farm, according to a news release.

In January, the students harvested more than 700 pounds of fresh produce including kale and lettuce, which were used in school lunches. They are on track to grow more than 10,000 pounds of produce for the school and community this year, according to the release.

The students had help from Hunter College and funding from Whole Foods Market. Also participating were Manhattan borough president Gale Brewer, city council member Helen Rosenthal and United Way of New York City.

“The MLK farm will provide real-world opportunities for students to apply the concepts they learn in classes like biology and chemistry, and it also creates an indelible understanding of how food grows,” Nona Evans, president and executive director of Whole Kids Foundation, said in the release. “ ... We know from years of experience and stacks of research, that when students understand and participate in growing food — they make healthier choices for a lifetime.”The foundation’s goal is to support schools and inspire families to improve children’s nutrition and wellness.

One of the goals of this farm is to encourage students to transform their relationship with food, instilling a lifelong understanding of healthy eating habits and sustainability, according to the release.

The nonprofit Teens for Food Justice has a mission to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to healthy, affordable food through youth-led, community-based solutions. The organization runs four farms serving 14 schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.

These farms are expected to grow more than 30,000 pounds of produce annually that feed students daily at lunch and their local communities, according to the release.