BALTIMORE — Coppin State University celebrated the reopening of its community garden with a tree planting on Thursday.
The community garden was started a few years ago. However, it had been left unmaintained for some time.
Now, thanks to the American Heart Association and University of Maryland Medical System, the garden is back. Both organizations are working with Coppin’s Department of Natural Sciences to revitalize and maintain the garden.
“Community gardens like this one on the campus at Coppin State University provide access to fresh produce that may be hard to find at local stores and can help overcome barriers to healthy eating,” says Tracy Brazelton, executive director of the American Heart Association of Baltimore and Greater Maryland.
The garden is giving students in botany and nursing an opportunity to learn agricultural skills and about nutrition.
It’s also filling a necessary need for fresh produce for the immediate community. Approximately 22 percent of Baltimore residents are food insecure, says Dr. Esa Davis with UMMS.
“It speaks to the urgent need for initiatives such as this, to be able to promote nutrition security and affordable and accessible healthy foods,” Davis says.
The produce grown in the garden will go to the Coppin Corner, the campus’ food pantry where students can get it for free. The pantry has served over 700 students since it opened a year ago.
“It was our effort to try and help address food insecurity that we know occurs across our campus,” says Dr. Anthony Jenkins, university president. “Now, students will also have access to fresh fruits and produces, and those things are going to make a significant difference.”
Guests at the celebration were able to take home some of the first harvest from the garden: tomatoes, banana peppers and okra.
