Rooftop farm in Hell's Kitchen helps bring fresh produce to local community
HELL'S KITCHEN, Manhattan (WABC) -- Hidden on top of a church in one of the busiest areas in New York City is a farm that's helping to serve the community.
The quiet oasis on the rooftop of Metro Baptist Church is home to the Hell's Kitchen Farm Project.
Water, fertilizer and lots of helping hands were all it took to plant seeds of sustainability.
"The goal is to promote and increase access to fresh produce for our most vulnerable members of Hell's Kitchen, and also to promote food literacy," said Chrisaleen Ciro of Hell's Kitchen Farm Project.
The initiative produces 500 pounds of produce each season. It supports the Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries Food Pantry, which serves close to 1,500 people a month.
Dozens of volunteers like Amy O'Brien, pitched in in honor of Earth Day next week.
"It's important to raise awareness about the innovation that's happening up on the rooftop here," she said. "I mean, I personally come into Port Authority every day on the bus from New Jersey. I had no idea this was here."
The organization, Earth Day Initiative, helps uncover hidden treasures. It will also host the annual Earth Day Festival in Union Square this Sunday.
"I think our greatest role is just to connect people who have the ambition to do something, to make a positive impact, to green their lifestyles, to do something good around the environment and connect them to the great groups that are doing it right around their corner," said John King Oppermann of Earth Day Initiative.
"When I think about New York City and how many rooftops are out there, I think this could be done, you know, just exponentially," said volunteer Scott Weinstein.
Together, the volunteers are nurturing sprouts of hope, one plant at a time.
See more information about Earth Day Festival this weekend here.
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