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Tuesday, 15 February 2011 10:50 |
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The Bridge has received a $25,000 grant from the Burpee Foundation in support of The Bridge Urban Farm Horticultural Program. Mr. Ball is also Chairman and CEO of W. Atlee Burpee & Co., the 135-year-old catalogue and internet seed supplier, where he has presided over the introduction of new high quality flower and vegetable varieties and the Company’s interaction with the global community.
“We are delighted that The Burpee Foundation has donated this generous grant to our Urban Farm Horticultural Program,” said Dr. Peter Beitchman, The Bridge’s Executive Director. “George Ball and The Burpee Foundation were pioneer supporters of The Bridge’s Horticultural program when it began in 2005.”
The program, in collaboration with The Horticultural Society of NY, started on the garden roof deck of the Manhattan headquarters of The Bridge (where a plaque commemorates the Burpee Foundation support), and has expanded to include two urban farms, one in the Bronx and one in East Harlem. The Program has grown dramatically as it impacts several neighborhoods throughout the city.
The goals of the Urban Farms are to teach clients about the benefits of eating vegetables and fruit, provide free and easy access to vegetables in order to increase their intake in order to improve their health; to reduce reliance on food banks and other food resources, and to teach them about good nutrition. The farms also provide our clients with work training opportunities in horticulture and paid jobs. For the clients of The Bridge, working with plants, growing their own produce and being outdoors triggers both illness prevention and healing responses.
Clients have started and maintain a blog of their experiences at myurbanfarm.blogspot.com where they outline their accomplishments with the Urban Farm Program, and illustrate their enthusiasm and involvement.
The Burpee Foundation is a non-profit corporation dedicated to providing funds for programs and education that furthers horticultural and environmental enhancement.
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