Hershey
Established 2014
Mission:
The garden’s primary purpose is to offer plots to community members, employees, students, clinical groups,
and local nonprofits to engage in healthy food production, reduce chronic disease, and build community bonds.
Accomplishments:
Charitable plots in the garden have produced annual averages of
2800 pounds of produce donated to food banks. The plots have also generated
donations of cut flowers to various community groups (e.g., Meals on
Wheels, retirement homes)!
A Food as Medicine initiative led by medical students uses a plot in the garden to address food insecurity and nutrition for community members living in food deserts.
Hospital executive chefs have cultivated a plot growing herbs for food
preparation and integrated produce into cafeteria and inpatient
menus.
A medical student developed a composting partnership with hospital food services that diverted 220 pounds of organic food waste from the cafeteria to the garden compost pit each week.
Read this article to learn even more about the amazing things our garden does!
Community Partnerships:
- The Prescription Produce initiative enabled clinicians to “prescribe” young adult cancer survivors a garden plot and pair them with local master gardeners to learn how to cultivate and prepare healthy foods over a growing season.
- Students participate in community education regarding medicinal plants, healthy eating for elementary school students,
Funding:
- Garden plots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis with a $45 suggested donation which contributes to garden maintenance. Other funds include corporate sponsorships, grants, and private donations.
- A part-time manager is funded by these sources and provides day-to-day oversight.
Facilities:
- Initial infrastructure included 124 raised bed plots, hoses, rain collection cisterns, composting pits, benches, gazebos, picnic tables, and an eight-foot-high fence
- In 2017, in response to high community demand, the garden expanded to two acres and 234 plots
Administrative home:
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, run as a nonprofit with a governing board.