Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados visits with students and faculty at John Marshall School # 20 in Elizabeth where Groundwork Elizabeth was installing a vegetable garden as part of the Union County Kids Dig In! grant program.
The grant covers establishing/building of gardens, garden boxes and/or tools and equipment. It is aimed at educating students about gardening and fostering the growth and creation of community gardens at the schools.
The County awarded 31 schools in 12 county municipalities Union County Kids Dig In! grants through its Open Space Trust Fund, offering a total of just under $40,000 in grant.
The grant program covers produce gardens including vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, herbs and spices, pollinator-attracting plants and plants for pest management. It does not cover ornamental plants or non-producing gardens.
Schools must agree to set aside 30% of their harvest for community donation and enroll in Come Grow With Us!, a free countywide information and resource sharing network for community gardens.
(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)