by Bob Benenson, Katie Daniel and A.J. Spitz, FamilyFarmed
It is alway a joyous day when FamilyFarmed gets to visit a school garden that gives children — especially those in low-income and low-access communities — the tools to learn how to grow food and other plants.
The Kitchen Community, a nonprofit that has created nearly 150 school gardens in Chicago alone and nearly 400 across the U.S., installed a new garden at Wendell Smith Elementary on Chicago’s far South Side Tuesday (May 30), and the enthusiasm of the children who helped in the planting was infectious.
But the trip was even more rewarding, because a $2 million donation to The Kitchen Community from Wells Fargo Bank was announced at a ceremony at the end of the installation, complete with a giant ceremonial check, a ribbon cutting, and a student drumline. Employees of the bank volunteered to help build out the garden. (FamilyFarmed is working out plans to do our own volunteer day at a Kitchen Community garden!)
The following are a pair of videos of The Kitchen Community garden educator Sam Koentopp teaching students about seed planting, and photos of the event.
Tiffany D. Brown, principal of Chicago’s Wendell Smith Elementary School, cuts the symbolic ribbon to open the school garden installed May 30 by The Kitchen Community nonprofit organization. Photo: Bob Benenson/FamilyFarmed
Sam Koentopp, garden educator for The Kitchen Community, instructed children at Chicago’s Wendell Smith Elementary School in seed planting during a May 30 garden installation. Photo: Bob Benenson/FamilyFarmed
The Kitchen Community, during a garden installation at Chicago’s Wendell Smith Elementary School, received a ceremonial check representing a $2 million donation from Wells Fargo Bank. Company employees assisted in the garden planting. Photo: Bob Benenson/FamilyFarmed
Along with plant seeds, students at Chicago’s Wendell Smith Elementary School planted lettuce starter plants with the help of Wells Fargo Bank volunteers at The Kitchen Community school garden installation May 30. Photo: Bob Benenson/FamilyFarmed