National GroGood Program Brings Community Gardens to Chicago
May 09 2009 - 11:57PM
PR Newswire (US)
Multigenerational edible gardening initiative to address the City
of Big Shoulders' hunger needs CHICAGO, May 9
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Uptown-area residents got the community
garden they've long desired on Saturday, thanks in part to The
Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and its group of philanthropic partners
in conjunction with Keep America Beautiful, Keep Chicago Beautiful,
the Chicago Park District, Garden Writers Association, Plant a Row
for the Hungry, the National Gardening Association and Franklin
Park Conservatory. Through its national GroGood edible gardening
program, this coalition installed a local garden dedicated to
growing produce to provide Chicago's hungry with fresh-grown fruits
and vegetables. The garden installation and dedication ceremony
took place on Saturday, May 9 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Clarendon
Park (4501 N. Clarendon Ave.) in the Uptown neighborhood. Chicago
city officials led local youth and community groups in taking the
GroGood pledge to grow an edible garden and donate a portion of
their harvests to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which
recently reported a 32 percent increase in demand for emergency
food assistance. During the event, GroGood program partners and
local officials were on hand to dedicate the installation of 14
garden plots, including eight to be tended exclusively by local
youth, and to provide gardening tips and instruction to local
residents. The GroGood program is designed to encourage area
residents to grow their own fruits and vegetables, while also
giving back to their communities. "The Chicago Park District is
thankful for this generous donation and the many partners that
worked to help build a community garden at Clarendon Park," said
Timothy J. Mitchell, Chicago Park District general superintendent
and chief executive officer. "Private-public partnerships, such as
this one, help creatively fund neighborhood projects during these
tough economic times. With this edible community garden, the
community will be able to work together to grow their own fruits
and vegetables. Community gardens, along with our parks, not only
grow plants, but they grow people too." Area youth organizations
engaged in an "Eat a Rainbow" activity station, which encouraged
interactive learning about the health benefits associated with
consuming a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables.
ScottsMiracle-Gro's national and local GroGood partners are: Keep
America Beautiful, Keep Chicago Beautiful, the Chicago Park
District, the Garden Writers Association, Plant a Row for the
Hungry, the National Gardening Association and Franklin Park
Conservatory. ScottsMiracle-Gro is donating 1 million pounds of
fresh produce to feed those at risk of hunger and is asking
Americans to pledge to grow and donate an additional 1 million
pounds of produce to help their communities. Other cities with
GroGood awareness events this year are Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas
and Washington, D.C. "It's inspiring to see how across the country,
gardens have the power to bring out the best in people and their
neighborhoods," said Su Lok, director of corporate and community
partnerships for ScottsMiracle-Gro. "As more gardeners look to grow
their own produce this season, we hope they share a portion of
their harvest with those in need in their community." For more
information on GroGood, food gardening and how to locate a local
food agency that accepts fresh produce, please visit
http://www.grogood.com/. About ScottsMiracle-Gro With nearly $3
billion in worldwide sales and more than 6,000 associates, The
Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary,
The Scotts Company LLC, is the world's largest marketer of branded
consumer products for lawn and garden care, with products for
professional horticulture as well. The Company's brands are the
most recognized in the industry. In the U.S., the Company's
Scotts(R), Miracle-Gro(R) and Ortho(R) brands are market-leading in
their categories, as is the consumer Roundup(R) brand, which is
marketed in North America and most of Europe exclusively by Scotts
and owned by Monsanto. In the U.S. the Company operates Scotts
LawnService(R), the second largest residential lawn care service
business. In Europe, the Company's brands include Weedol(R),
Pathclear(R), Evergreen(R), Levington(R), Miracle-Gro(R), KB(R),
Fertiligene(R) and Substral(R). For additional information, visit
us at http://www.scotts.com/. DATASOURCE: The Scotts Miracle-Gro
Company CONTACT: Keri Butler of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company,
+1-937-644-7410 Web Site: http://www.scotts.com/
http://www.grogood.com/
Copyright