18th Ward Oakbrook Neighborhood Development & Economic Revitalization community (18thWONDER) is partnering with the Reading Housing Authority (RHA) to establish an Oakbrook Community garden through Nature’s Path Organics’ Gardens for Good contest.
The Nature’s Path Organics’ Gardens for Good contest awards $5,000 to 21 community garden projects across the U.S. and Canada. Winners are selected based on total number of votes and an application review.
The project was inspired by last year’s City Victory Garden Taskforce that distributed over 100 garden boxes to residents. Food deserts are prevalent in Reading and the COVID-19 Pandemic has heightened food insecurity.
According to Tanya Melendez, Neighborhood Alliance Chairperson for 18thWONDER, “After the success of the Victory Gardens last spring, we got a magnificent group of people to help build a community garden in the 18th ward.” This group includes the RHA, Berks Community Health Center (BCHC), Food Trust, Berks Nature, the City of Reading, and various community members, calling them a “grassroots collective”. “If we can get this funded this will be a little gem in our community.”
18thWONDER is reaching out to the community, asking citizens to vote online for “Cultivating Community At Oakbrook Homes”. Voting deadline is Wednesday, April 7th.
The mission of the 18th WONDER is to maintain and enhance a sustainable, connected, and beautiful community and by doing so strengthen the fabric and foundations of the City of Reading PA. Reading Housing Authority (RHA) has been providing decent, safe, and affordable housing to the residents of Reading PA since 1939 while providing other service-enriched programs. RHA serves more than 1600 low-income residents in the proposed garden site.
