The People's Money (2024-2025)

Bedford Park plus...

Youth

Limited English Speakers

Immigrants/ Migrants

Low Income People

Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color

The NYC Department of Parks’ GreenThumb program is the nation's largest urban gardening initiative, supporting over 550 community gardens across the five boroughs. Its mission is to educate and empower community gardens and urban farming while preserving open spaces. While GreenThumb has achieved significant success, one crucial element remains underdeveloped: a dedicated program for children. Unlike garden stewards, kids currently lack access to the same free garden materials, technical assistance, educational workshops, and seasonal programs that can be replicated and consistent. The challenge of teaching the next generation essential skills like growing, harvesting, cooking, and donating food is inadequately addressed in many NYC schools. Teachers are tasked with delivering the DOE curriculum while managing an already demanding workload. Although some may have experience in farming or sustainability, these areas are not their primary expertise. Schools with attached Jointly Operated Playgrounds (JOPs) and PARKS recreation centers with surrounding parkland, often fail to utilize these spaces to their full potential, despite their availability. This gap presents an opportunity to inspire and educate children while leveraging existing resources to build a more sustainable future.

Welcome KinderThumb: A Kinder Approach to Urban Gardening Education The KinderThumb NYC Initiative is a younger, more focused version of GreenThumb, designed specifically for students in grades K-8. This program aims to transform Jointly Operated Playgrounds (JOPs) into thriving spaces for education and community gardening. By targeting schools in Community Board 7’s district for its pilot phase, KinderThumb sets the stage for a scalable, impactful NYC Parks program that can expand citywide. The initiative will start with four schools in the Community Board 7 district, leveraging existing JOPs to teach gardening and sustainability using NYC DEPT of PARKS (new) program staff. All necessary garden supplies—raised beds, soil, amendments, tools, seeds, and more—will be provided to create a fully equipped learning environment. New PARKS staff will be hired to plan garden layouts, oversee the program, and run after-school and weekend workshops focused on community gardening and food production. Students will gain hands-on experience in growing, harvesting, and donating food, complementing their academic education while building essential life skills. The pilot program serves as a blueprint for a larger initiative, aligning with GreenThumb’s mission while addressing the unique needs of younger students. All jointly operated playgrounds would have a dedicated protected area for growing food and teaching sustainability as well as PARKS recreation centers for example Williamsbridge Oval in Norwood Bronx. KinderThumb represents a solution to the challenges identified earlier by combining education, sustainability, and community engagement, all while alleviating the burden on teachers and maximizing underutilized spaces with JOPs. By introducing this program, NYC Parks takes a crucial step toward nurturing the next generation of urban farmers and environmental stewards.

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