BY: KASSANDRA DZIKEWICS
A homeless shelter in Atlanta holds a large garden on its roof, which is completely grown and maintained by its residents.The concept began in 2009 with the first harvest producing 55 pounds of produce. The garden has continued to expand into 80 garden beds growing everything from kale to carrots.
The concept began in 2009 with the first harvest producing 55 pounds of produce. The garden has continued to expand into 80 garden beds growing everything from kale to carrots.
The people at the shelter are given a sense of belonging and importance as they work together to plant and harvest the gardens. Each day the shelter is able to feed its residents with a nutritious meal picked fresh from the plants they grew.
Each day the shelter is able to feed its residents with a nutritious meal picked fresh from the plants they grew.
The roof top garden even includes a beehive to pollinate the crops and to supply honey, as well as a sustainable rain-water harvesting system.
The roof top garden even has a beehive and harvests rain water to make it truly sustainable.
Not only does the garden supply the homeless with healthy food but it provides them with valuable skills as they learn about sustainability and urban farming. The program is supervised by urban farming experts who work hard to train these individuals and enhance their knowledge of sustainability. They are not only learning about gardening but about plant selection, harvesting techniques and the importance of sustainable living—all helpful skills that are transferrable as they move out of the shelter and into the workplace.
The garden supplies them with healthy food as well as providing valuable urban farming skills.
This clever way to fight poverty also provides funded programming for a certification in entrepreneurial farming and marketing, which aims to help the homeless apply the skills they’ve learned to life outside of the shelter.
Sources: sunnyskyz.com, vice.com, atlantataskforceforhomeless.org, thefreethoughtproject.com
