On November 15th, Riis Settlement celebrated the accomplishments of our 2012 Queensbridge Community Garden, and recognized the hard work and dedication of all our senior and immigrant garden participants, as well as our NY Cares volunteers. Each garden participant and volunteer received a certificate and a gardening book (100 Garden Tips and Timesavers), presented by Robert Madison, Director of Senior Services, and Ashley Cruce, Community Garden Consultant. This garden project was made possible by the Greening Western Queens Fund of the North Star Fund.
Highlights of the 2012 season included: expanding the growing areas–4 new raised beds for planting, a kitchen garden, and a new butterfly garden; 22 garden project days with NY Cares volunteers; 5 Garden Workshops by Just Food; 12 intergenerational gardening sessions with seniors and youth in the Riis Summer Academy; and an Ethnography of Food project in collaboration with LaGuardia Community College faculty and student volunteers, during which Riis Academy youth interviewed seniors about their food tastes and traditions, as well as past and/or current gardening experiences.
