Food Network and Cablevision Partner to Provide Access to Food, Nutritional Education Through ‘Good Food Gardens’ 
Food Network and Cablevision Partner to Provide Access to
Food, Nutritional Education Through ‘Good Food Gardens’
Community Garden to be Planted at PS 55; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Participates
Bronx, NY, June 5, 2013 — To attack child hunger and promote healthy eating habits, the Food Network and Cablevision will construct a community “Good Food Garden” at PS 55 Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in the Bronx. Dedication of the new community garden will take place on Wednesday, June 5, at 12:15 PM at the school, located at 450 St. Paul’s Place, Bronx, NY.
The event will begin with community volunteers and students adding topsoil and gravel to the garden site. Then, after opening remarks from Cablevision and Food Network representatives, Bronx Borough President Diaz will speak about the importance of today’s young people being involved in community service and helping to end childhood hunger through initiatives such as the “Good Food Garden.” Principal Luis Torres thanks Cablevision and the Food Network for making this program available to their school. The event will close with a lunch for the volunteers participating in the event, after which they will resume planting.
The maintenance of the garden will be facilitated by The Green Bronx Machine, the official New York City Department of Education PENCIL Partner for PS 55. The Green Bronx Machine is also responsible for the school’s green initiatives and STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) programming.
Bronx Borough President Diaz said, “As we know, hunger not only hinders a child’s physical development, but their intellectual and emotional growth as well. So many families in our community lack the money to buy fresh, healthy food on a regular basis. Thanks to this innovative program from the Food Network and Cablevision and the efforts of the students here at PS 55, more children will now enjoy nourishing meals.”
The mission of Good Food Gardens is to educate families on the importance of fruits, vegetables and other nutritious foods, key ingredients to ending childhood hunger. The program, a joint effort of Food Network, Share Our Strength and Teich Garden Systems, fashions educational gardens that offer children and community volunteers a fun, hands-on gardening experience.
“Good Food Gardens addresses a serious health problem in our country by teaching children and their families about sustainable gardening and encouraging them to adopt healthier eating habits,” said Brooke Johnson, president, Food Network.
Each Good Food Gardens site is developed from the ground up, covers approximately 250 square feet and holds more than 240 fruit and vegetable seedlings capable of providing fresh produce to up to 500 people three times a year.
“Good Food Gardens reinforces one of Food Network’s core goals – to promote healthy eating and raise awareness of childhood hunger,” said Johnson. “This is a very natural, fun way for Food Network to be a part of that, helping make positive changes now and for years to come.”
Food Network has underwritten the creation of more than 35 Good Food Gardens across the country. Garden locations are determined based on community need, level of local advocacy and the extent to which the garden can improve the overall neighborhood.
851 Grand Concourse Ste. 301
Bronx, New York 10451
(718) 590-3500
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