Key Takeaways:
- Event Overview: Green Bronx Machine to host a tour of the newly reopened Con Edison Claremont Village Community Garden at CS55 on June 20, 2023, involving community members, officials, and guests from Google.
- Agenda Highlights: The event features a student showcase, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and a tour of the National Health, Wellness & Learning Center.
- Partnership Praise: Con Edison and local officials commend the Green Bronx Machine for their efforts in educational programming and community revitalization.
- Educational Impact: The partnership aims to enhance green space access, support native biodiversity, and provide sustainable education and fresh food to the community.
The Event
On June 20, 2023, the Green Bronx Machine, in partnership with Con Edison, will welcome community members, local officials, students, parents, and distinguished guests from Google for a grand tour of the Con Edison Claremont Village Community Garden at CS55. Located at 450 St. Paul’s Place, Bronx, NY, the garden reopening is scheduled for noon, promising a day filled with celebration and education.
Community and Education in Bloom
The day’s agenda is packed with activities designed to showcase the hard work and dedication of the students this semester. Attendees will be treated to a display of vibrant flowers and crops, alongside a student-painted mural, symbolizing the community’s growth and creativity. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will mark the official reopening, followed by a unique vegetable and pollinator parade. The celebration continues with a tour of the National Health, Wellness & Learning Center, capped off with a delicious student-grown and prepared salad, highlighting the program’s success in fostering agricultural skills and healthy eating habits.
Support and Praise from Partners
Jen Hensley, Con Edison’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, lauded the Green Bronx Machine for their pivotal role in the garden’s reopening. The collaboration aims to expand green space accessibility and rejuvenate Claremont Village for its residents, promoting native biodiversity.
Kate MacKenzie, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, and Qiana Mickie, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture, both acknowledged the significant impact of the Green Bronx Machine’s programs. Their initiatives in agricultural education within NYC schools have been instrumental in teaching students about farming, food production, and sustainability.
Assembly Member Chantel Jackson and Stephen Ritz, founder of Green Bronx Machine, also expressed their gratitude towards Con Edison for their unwavering support. The community garden at CS 55 is not just a space for cultivating plants but also for nurturing young minds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning, sustainability education, and providing fresh food to the community.
A Greener Future
Principal Luis E Torres of Community School 55 reflected on the transformative effect of the partnership between Con Edison and Green Bronx Machine, emphasizing the positive changes in Claremont Village. The initiative has significantly contributed to making the community cleaner, greener, healthier, and happier.
Green Bronx Machine Latest News
Growing Minds and Gardens: The Story Of Green Bronx Machine (2023/02/14)
The Green Bronx Machine is a program that aims to bring fresh, healthy food to schools through its Tower Garden aeroponic growing system. This system allows students to grow food in school, aligned with project-based learning and the Green Bronx Machine’s proprietary curriculum. The program has transformed schools across the nation and around the world with great success. The Tower Garden uses 90% less water and space than traditional growing methods and can be used in classrooms, commercial settings, and even Yankee Stadium.
Partners With NYC Department of Housing Preservation (2022/05/10)
The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is partnering with the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the NYC Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to build 195 deeply affordable homes for seniors in the Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx. The Sol on Park development will include a 15-story mixed-use building, a new community health center, a nutrition education facility, and a career-training space accessible to residents and the community at large. The project is part of the City’s Seniors First initiative to develop and preserve senior housing on NYCHA land. All households will receive project-based Section 8 vouchers, with a portion of homes set aside for NYCHA residents and seniors experiencing homelessness.
Stephen Ritz Becomes AVF Board Member (2022/05/10)
The Association for Vertical Farming (AVF) has partnered with Stephen Ritz and his non-profit, Green Bronx Machine. Ritz is an award-winning educator and founder of Green Bronx Machine, which focuses on educating and training kids for the future while providing sustainable and healthy food to the community. AVF and Green Bronx Machine will work on significant planned projects to establish an international educational standard curriculum to educate the workforce and consumers of the future. Together, they aim to educate the public on the importance of sustainable food systems and the nutrition benefits of indoor agriculture.
Recognized as a 2022 Classy Award Winner (2022/02/06)
Green Bronx Machine, a non-profit organization, won a 2022 Classy Award. The award recognizes non-profits that drive lasting impact worldwide. 13 winners were chosen from over 1,700 programs. Green Bronx Machine previously won a Classy Award in 2021 and is now the first organization to win two awards in different categories. The prize pool for the award is $90K.
Image provided by Green Bronx Machine
1 Comment