Jesse Blom, The Green Heart Project.

May 31 (Daniel Island Club) – Amanda Howell, Development Director, The Green Heart Project. 

The Green Heart Project was founded in 2009 as a small school garden at an elementary school in downtown Charleston with the intention of reconnecting students with fresh, locally-grown produce. Because the school was in a food desert, the majority of students came from low-income households that lacked access to fresh fruits and vegetables. With this knowledge, local neighborhood residents Karalee Nielsen and Chauncey Jordan with a group of friends devised a plan to build an urban garden with a group of 3rd-grade students utilizing the experience as a service-learning project to teach students the value of growing your own food. The Project quickly became more than an experiment in urban gardening. With students and volunteers working in the garden together, a mentorship was fostered. It was soon realized that the students were growing personally and socially, just as the vegetables were growing big

in the garden. The urban farm became an example of an important life lesson – through hard work, teamwork, and respect for the process, you can literally bear the fruits of your labor. Our club has been seeking a joint project with GHP somewhere in Berkeley County. 

Required reading: 

https://greenheartsc.org/ https://greenheartsc.org/urban-farm-at-enston-home/ 

https://www.counton2.com/news/everyday-heroes/everyday-hero-green-heart-project/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-greenheart-project/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eN2Zm0bgV8

(A Charleston restaurant owner and his chef rowed across the Atlantic in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge to benefit the Green Hearts Project. We hope to have them join us soon – perhaps as our September speaker series speakers. See video of the start of the race, above).