Grow It Green Morristown Inc

OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY HEALTH THROUGH URBAN AGRICULTURE, DISCOVERY-BASED LEARNING AND EQUITABLE FOOD ACCESS.

GROW IT GREEN DEVELOPS SOLUTIONS TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE, CONNECTED AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR SITES, THE URBAN FARM, EARLY STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN, THE GREENHOUSE AT ST. ELIZABETH UNIVERSITY AND THE MORRIS WINTER FARMERS MARKET. GROW IT GREEN PROGRAMMING INCLUDES AN ELEMENT OF LEARNING FOR ALL AGES IN OUR OUTDOOR GREEN SPACES AND IN SCHOOL CLASSROOMS. URBAN FARM PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:-IMPLEMENTED MULTIPLE NEW SUSTAINABLE FARM PRACTICES TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT, REDUCE WATER USAGE AND FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO PROVIDE NEW VARIETIES AND A BOUNTY OF FRESH FOOD.-ENCOURAGED DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL SKILLS FOR 12 PAID HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE INTERNSHIPS IN HANDS-ON ROLES LEARNING THE IMPORTANCE OF TRIAL AND ERROR WHILE APPLYING SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES TO SOLVE REAL WORLD CHALLENGES, FEELING THE SATISFACTION OF COMPLETING PROJECTS, AND EXPLORING AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES-ENGAGED 3530 STUDENTS FROM PRESCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL IN FARM BASED EDUCATION, A 54% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR -EMPOWERED 715 IN PERSON VOLUNTEERS AT THE FARM, GARDEN AND FARMERS MARKET LEARNING NEW SKILLS, HELPING SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND CONNECTING WITH OTHERS WHILE ENJOYING THE ADDED BENEFITS OF BEING OUTDOORS - DONATED 8,000 POUNDS OF FRESHLY HARVESTED PRODUCE TO LOCAL FOOD BANKS, FOR FARM TO TABLE SHARES IN NEWARK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEWARK SAS, THROUGH A VOUCHER PROGRAM FOR FREE CSAS FOR 41 FAMILIES LIVING IN LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ATTENDED IN PERSON NUTRITION AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS - PROVIDED 125 WEEKLY CSA PRODUCE SHARES PICKED UP IN PERSON AT THE FARM AND TESTED A NEW REDUCED PRICING SCALE TO ENCOURAGE MORE LOW INCOME AND SNAP ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS-PILOTED A PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM FOR 40 FAMILIES FOR 21 WEEKS TO HELP FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TWO LOCAL HEALTH CARE PARTNERS INCLUDING GORYEB CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, A PART OF ATLANTIC HEALTH SYSTEM.

EARLY STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:THE GARDEN AND SURROUNDING PARKLET WAS A VITAL RESPITE WITH COMMUNITY GARDEN BEDS AND WELCOMING GREEN SPACES WHILE ALSO SERVING AS A MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC SPACES ENCOURAGING POLLINATORS AND PREVENTING STORM WATER DAMAGE. TO CREATE A MORE WELCOMING EXPERIENCE FOR THE PUBLIC IN THIS SPACE, WE PUSHED BACK THE FENCES AND INCREASED THE FRONT PARKLET SPACE WITH PLANS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GROUPS OF STUDENTS FROM NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS AND SENIORS AND RESIDENTS FROM NEIGHBORING LOW INCOME HOUSING TO UTILIZE THIS URBAN OASIS TO APPRECIATE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN SPACES AND FRESH FOOD.EARLY STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:- EXPANDED THE PARKLET AND GARDEN, A VITAL RESPITE WITH OVER 80 GARDEN BEDS THAT WELCOMES LOCAL RESIDENTS AND SERVES AS A MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC SPACES, ENCOURAGING POLLINATORS AND PREVENTING STORM WATER DAMAGE.- WELCOMED NEIGHBORS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW FOOD AND LEARN SELF-SUSTAINING SKILLS INCLUDING PARISHIONERS FROM ST. MARGARET CHURCH, MORRIS COUNTY HISPANIC AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE, MORRISTOWN HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITIONAL SKILLS PROGRAM, COLONIAL L.I.F.E, WIND OF THE SPIRIT AND JUVENILE PROBATION YOUTH- HELD IN PERSON SOCIAL EVENTS FOR GARDENERS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS INCLUDING THE WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION WITH OVER 60 ATTENDEES-WEEKLY SPRING AND FALL PROGRAM FOR 200 MORRISTOWN HIGH SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE STUDENTS (ENGLISH AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS) AT THE GARDEN THAT SUPPLEMENTED THE CURRICULUM BY OFFERING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES LEARNING ABOUT LIFE SCIENCES, GROWING AND GATHERING FOOD AND BIRDING.

GREENHOUSE OPERATIONS AND WINTER FARMERS MARKET- THE GREENHOUSE, LOCATED AT ST. ELIZABETH UNIVERSITY, IS OPEN TO STUDENTS FOR EDUCATIONAL CLASSES, INTERNSHIPS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES- STARTED VEGETABLE, FLOWER AND HERB SEEDLINGS FOR THE URBAN FARM AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND GARDENERS TO INCREASE LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION AND ENCOURAGE THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARDENING AND OFFER A MEANS TO GROW FOOD DURING HIGH INFLATION PRICES- MANAGED 10TH ANNUAL WINTER MARKET AT A MORE CONVENIENT AND ACCESSIBLE SPACE. THE LARGER SPACE PROVIDED OVER 50 FARMERS, RANCHERS AND CREATORS A PLACE TO SELL, INCREASED OUTREACH TO MINORITY AND WOMAN OWNED VENDORS, AND OFFERED NONPROFITS A MEANS TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY VENDORS- PROVIDED A VIBRANT COMMUNITY SPACE TO SOCIALLY CONNECT AND SHOP OUTDOORS FOR OVER 900 PEOPLE WEEKLY AT THE MARKET AND INCORPORATED MORE COMMUNITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES