Our Bureau
New York, NY
In celebration of Earth Day, the NYC Health Department has announced the opening of its first community garden at the Brownsville Neighborhood Health Action Center in Brooklyn. Designed to create opportunities for residents to meet and build relationships with their neighbors, the new garden will bring together residents, community partners, and local schools to support wellness, learning, and nutrition access. Located behind the community health center, the garden is planned to be used to grow fruits and vegetables including watermelon, cantaloupe, peppers, corn, and okra, in addition to herbs such as mint, sage, and parsley. Everything grown in the garden will be available to the community free of charge, along with access to educational programming and community events. The community garden will be accessible to the public Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. with gardening classes starting in May.
“In the heart of Brownsville, we’re planting more than seeds: we’re cultivating health, connection, and hope for our community,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin. “Our community garden is a vital step toward improving public health and empowering residents to make healthier choices, by increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Healthy eating is a powerful tool in the fight against chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. We are actively nurturing the health of our city to ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
The new community garden enhances outdoor space behind the Brownsville Health Action Center that has historically been used to host events that, in the past, have attracted over 1,000 attendees. The NYC Health Department plans to continue to use this space for events in the future, including those supported by the new garden.
Studies have found that community gardens give people better access to healthy food and a chance to connect with their neighbors, which in turn improves community well-being. By opening its first community garden, the NYC Health Department advances its commitment to creating spaces that foster social connection, environmental awareness, and community-driven wellness as a means to improve public health. The garden will serve as a setting for ongoing programming, including gardening workshops, youth engagement activities, and hands-on learning opportunities that connect residents to nature and to one another.
Programming connected to the garden includes partnerships with institutions supporting educational experiences that introduce participants to gardening practices, environmental stewardship, and cohort-based learning opportunities.
The opening of the new Brownsville community garden builds on the NYC Health Department’s nutrition education programs and initiatives that address inequities in healthy food access.
The Get the Good Stuff program offers a dollar-for-dollar match on purchases of eligible fruits, vegetables, and beans by New Yorkers using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at participating supermarkets. For every dollar spent using SNAP benefits on eligible fruits, vegetables, and beans, program participants get a matching dollar (up to $10 per day) that can be used for the next purchase of eligible foods. These matching dollars are added to a Get the Good Stuff card that is scanned at the register before payment.
The Groceries to Go program provides eligible New Yorkers with monthly credits to purchase groceries for delivery or pickup. To be eligible for the program New Yorkers must be a member of NYC Health + Hospital’s NYC Care program, have hypertension or diabetes, and be experiencing food insecurity. Credits can be used to purchase SNAP-eligible foods and beverages through an online platform that links to hundreds of grocery stores across NYC. The credits can also be used to pay for service fees, tips, and delivery. Groceries to Go participants receive a 50% discount on purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables using their credits. Participants can save up to $30 per month with this discount.
Health Bucks are $2 coupons that can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at all NYC farmers markets and farm stands. For every $2 spent in SNAP benefits at farmers markets and farm stands, shoppers can get $2 in Health Bucks, up to $10 per day. Health Bucks are available year-round at NYC farmers markets that accept EBT. There are more than 100 farmers markets and farm stands across the five boroughs every summer and fall. For days and hours of operation of locations open year-round, visit the NYC Health Map. To find a farmers market or farm stand near you, text “So Good” (or “Muy Rico” for Spanish) to 55676.
The Stellar Farmers Markets program provides free bilingual nutrition education workshops and cooking demonstrations at select farmers markets throughout NYC from August to November. The program builds participants’ knowledge and skills about how and why to prepare healthy meals using fresh, seasonal produce. Workshops are open to the public and are provided in multiple languages.
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