Mayor Brown Meets with Community Garden Organizers & Volunteers

Recently, Mayor George C. Brown met with community garden organizers and volunteers. Community gardens increase access to healthy, nutritious foods and help foster community cooperation.

The City is home to six community gardens, which were either developed by or in partnership with the Wilkes-Barre City Health Department. The community gardens project is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant.

In 2019, three community gardens were developed at King’s College’s Shoval Center for Community Engagement and Learning, Community Counseling Services, and The Greenhouse Clubhouse. This year, three new gardens were added at the New Roots Recovery Support Center on Water Street, The Restored Church on Meade Street and at Barney Farms Park near Reliance Drive. A master gardener from the Penn State Extension will provide additional training to the volunteers and will grade the gardens.

To assist with the planting, tending, and harvest of the community gardens, a volunteer group was established by the Wilkes-Barre City Health Department. This group planted New Roots, King’s College, Community Counseling, and The Greenhouse gardens this year. Subject to COVID-19 guidelines, At harvest time, the volunteers will join the Wilkes Barre City Health City Department to provide nutritional programs at the Wilkes-Barre Farmer’s Market. FNCB Community Bank provided funding which assisted the community gardens volunteers. For more information on volunteering, please contact the Wilkes-Barre City Health Department at  570-208-4287.