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Bust that Sod!
Babcock Neighborhood Deals with an Uncertain Economy by Planting a Community Garden April 25th, at Former Buffalo Public School #26 -- Public is Invited
LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, Vancouver, British Columbia; Honeywell Corporation’s Buffalo Research Laboratory Lead Community Support Six months ago, three friends drank coffee and discussed the state of South Buffalo’s Babcock neighborhood, one of the poorest areas in Greater Buffalo, with 40% of its residents living below the poverty line. In the best of economic times, residents often struggled to put food on the table. Now, sobering news from Wall Street and Albany had them worried – particularly proposals for cuts in health care and social services that the Seneca Babcock community depends on to survive.
The residents rolled up their sleeves, and got to work planning a community garden – which would provide easy access to home-grown food, while also serving as a catalyst for community development, engaging residents of all ages in the effort.
Their efforts will literally begin to bear fruit and vegetables at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 25, when residents, volunteers and government officials break ground and bust sod for the Babcock Neighborhood Garden. It all takes place at the former Buffalo Public School #26, 84 Harrison Street, in Buffalo. This event is free and open to the public.
“This project is the next step in Daemen's long term collaboration with the Seneca Babcock community, which began in1998,” noted Cheryl Bird, Executive Director of the Daemen Center for Sustainable Communities and Civic Engagement. “The neighborhood garden will continue to make the community more sustainable, through a positive next step, leading to better nutrition and less obesity.”
"Children from the neighborhood agencies with whom Daemen collaborates will be involved in the garden project this summer. They will not only learn about growing vegetables, but experience the satisfaction, and learn the importance of seeing a project through from start to finish. An expression of this will be seen on the "Charity Pot" hand creme of the LUSH Corporation; "Babcock Neighborhood Garden...hope and health for the community."
“I thought it was a great idea,” added Connie Cuddihy, a 20-year resident of the Babcock neighborhood. “But I knew we’d need a lot of help.”
And help came from many quarters.
LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, Vancouver, British Columbia, donated $7980 to the garden effort. Established 14 years ago, LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics has been driven by innovation and its ethics. LUSH offers a selection of skincare, bath and body treats, and off-beat gift ideas loaded with natural ingredients. More information at: http://www.lushusa.com/about/.
Additional, significant support came from Honeywell Corporation’s Buffalo Research Laboratory, also located in the Babcock neighborhood. Honeywell has provided all the necessary topsoil and concrete block for 20 raised beds, plus supplies of refreshments and extensive support through employee volunteers for the community garden project.
The Baird Foundation has donated $1000. This foundation provides direct support to health, education, the arts and other quality of life causes, focusing on diversity and helping individuals achieve full potential.
Youth Service America (YSA) and Disney have provided a $500 grant for gardening materials and supplies. YSA is an international nonprofit resource center that partners with thousands of organizations in more than 100 countries to expand the impact of the youth service movement with families, communities, schools, corporations, and governments.
The Seneca Street Community Development Corporation, whose mission is to improve healthy lifestyles of Babcock residents, has been instrumental in helping the neighborhood secure a space for the garden and writing grants to fund it.
Residents, volunteers and government officials will be on hand for the April 25th sod-busting ceremony. The event is free and open to the public.
For additional information, contact Cheryl Bird at (716) 839-8489, or cbird@daemen.edu.
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