Pittsburgh Neighborhood Gardens Receives Main Grants to Broaden Its Enterprise | Information | Pittsburgh
Photo: Courtesy of Rosalinda Sauro Sirianni Garden
Volunteer Sheila McCall works at Rosalinda Sauro Sirianni Garden
Urban gardens and farms have become a major national focus as a way to leverage vacant lots, provide green space and combat food insecurity in areas where adequate access to grocery stores is lacking.Recently, Pittsburgh has gone one step further When two nonprofits promise to permanently protect urban gardens and farms With a new program.
Today, the local community garden is receiving funding to continue its mission.
On August 16th, Pure Farmland, a plant-based protein brand created by Smithfield Foods, announced recipients of the 2021 Pure Growth Project Grant Program nationwide.Among the 55 organizations selected for financial support Rosalinda Sauro Sirianni Garden Located in the North Hills district of Bellevue.
Grants ranged from $ 1,000 to $ 20,000 and were sent to community gardens and farms in 29 states. Rosalinda Sauro Sirianni Garden was awarded a $ 5,000 grant.
Madischeinfeld, coordinator of Rosalinda Sauro Sirianni Gardens, says the community-sponsored gardens entered their first growth phase in 2011, following “a generous donation of land from the Sirianni family.” ..
“They demanded that the garden be named in honor of her mother, Rosalinda, who had been farming on the land for many years with her husband Luigi,” says Scheinfeld. “Rosalinda and Luigi emigrated from Italy and cultivated a variety of crops, including some varieties of heirloom figs, which some members of the family still hold.”
She further says that the garden, supervised by “thousands of dedicated volunteers,” produced over £ 45,000 of fresh produce, all grown in an “organic way.”
Grow Pittsburgh, a non-profit organization that supports urban gardens and farms in the city, outlines many of the garden’s features, including tall tunnels, tubs, large compost bins, information kiosks, rain gardens, orchards, apiaries, and geocash. Explains. , A small library, and a bioswale.
This garden is part of the North Hills Community Outreach. The non-profit organization is listed on its website as serving people in crisis, difficulty and poverty in northern Allegheny County. Sheinfeld said he was able to deliver nutritious food to 1,000 to 1,500 families using NHCO’s three free food pantry.
“We strive to provide our clients with the best food possible and the opportunity to eat well for everyone,” says Scheinfeld. Among other initiatives, activities at the Bellevue Farmers Market.
Garden services were especially needed during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many families have been working on access to food for many factors, says Scheinfeld. According to Scheinfeld, the garden can serve an additional 500 families through a food pantry, and the group is “currently working to increase production capacity.”
Michael Merritt, Senior Director of Marketing at Pure Farmland, said he awarded $ 100,00 in 2020 to “the precious greenery of the country.”
“Through field visits and virtual discussions, these wonderful organizations range from the direct impact of funding and the development of greenhouses and the construction of raised beds to the development of educational programs where residents can learn the skills they produce. We’ve seen how it helped us grow. Food, ”says Merit.
Merritt added that he has decided to expand the initiative and increase the total grant to $ 125,000 as a way to “enable these valuable organizations to continue to profit in the community.”
According to Scheinfeld, the garden will be awarded the $ 5,000 Pure Farmland Award for the construction of a “four-season, high-performance, passive solar greenhouse-also known as a bioshelter.”
“This project uses sustainable technology and serves as an educational model for a city’s food production system that is sustainable all year round,” says Scheinfeld. “This will increase food production during the winter and provide families with nutrient-rich, hardy vegetables through three food pantry.”
Bio-shelter is expected to function as a space for growing vegetable seedlings and distributing them to those who want to start their own garden, or for “breeding edible perennials and cooking herbs.”
“We are very excited about the potential of the bioshelter project to have a positive impact on our community and our clients,” says Sheinfeld. “Enriching North Hill’s urban agricultural landscape, improving annual access to fresh produce, and providing people with the skills and ingredients to grow their food are all important parts of our garden mission. , We can’t wait to increase our ability to do this job. “
Rosalinda Sauro Sirianni Garden.. 119 Davis Ave., Bellevue. nhco.org/garden
Pittsburgh Community Gardens Receives Major Grants to Expand Its Business | News | Pittsburgh
Source link Pittsburgh Community Gardens Receives Major Grants to Expand Its Business | News | Pittsburgh
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