Metro Giving: Help children grow gardens

You could help children grow their own vegetables during class.

The Earth Day Organic Indoor Learning Garden, which aims to create a garden in every school, plans to launch nationwide this Earth Day after a pilot program in New York City reached more than 100 schools. 

By partnering with inner-city schools, the group is able to fund gardens for classrooms. In New York, about 120 schools have or will soon receive gardens, said Earth Day New York executive director Pamela Lippe.

And about 300 more hope to get one, she said.

“We’ve found that the program’s got legs,” she said.

By expanding the program nationwide, they hope to provide gardens to any school that can either raise the funds for the garden and shipping — about $320 — or request one through a donation.
“What we’ve found is that there’s such excitement and interest around these gardens,” she said.
Each garden includes a container with the garden, potting soil and seed starter trays along with organic seeds.

In New York, volunteers visit classes, helping students to assemble and plant their gardens. They also teach children about fruits and vegetables and basic nutrition.

The garden can even be wheeled around, making it a mobile lesson.

Get involved
   
Any person or corporation can donate a garden to a specific school if they contribute the full cost, Lippe said. Individuals can also donate money that will be used for gardens at inner-city schools by donating at http://earthdayny.org.

Follow Alison Bowen on Twitter @AlisonatMetro