Community organization grows programming to support literacy and access to books
(New York, NY — April 21,2022) Harlem Grown will launch free libraries on its farms this Saturday, April 23, during the organization’s Earth Day celebration. The first library is located on the original Harlem Grown farm at 118 W. 134 Street, with the second library on its way at 77 W. 127 Street to continue to support the Harlem community, meet the developmental needs of all children, and promote literacy. The libraries are stocked with culturally relevant children’s books for ages 5-14. They won’t operate like a typical library, instead youth are invited to read books on the farms, take a book home and keep it, or return it at a later date. Books will be continually replenished on a monthly basis.
The library launches with a 3,000-book donation from Penguin Random House and a commitment to restock 250 titles per month through the end of the harvesting season. Over the last several months, staff constructed the libraries, with the generous support from donors all over the world.
“Our mission is about so much more than food,” said Tony Hillery, Founder and CEO, Harlem Grown. “Since the start, we’ve always been part of the community; we form deep, long-lasting partnerships with schools and education is an incredibly important component of our work. I’m thrilled we made these libraries happen. As I always say, ‘we don’t just grow food, we grow people.’”
“We are delighted to partner with Harlem Grown to bring diverse books to the Harlem community,” said Sanyu Dillon, Chief Marketing Officer, Penguin Random House U.S. “These onsite libraries make it possible for children to get access to books that reflect their lives while also learning about healthy habits through hands-on education on the farm. It’s exciting to be part of such a holistic, intersectional and thoughtful program that helps us reach more readers in creative new ways.”
The opening of the libraries also launches additional programming including a new partnership with the New York Public Library who will host weekly storytimes on the farms. Harlem Grown currently offers a wide variety of educational programming for children and adults. During the pandemic, the organization expanded its offerings with a mobile teaching kitchen to continue to bring food education and cooking classes to the schools and community.
“The launch of the libraries on our farms is such a natural progression,” noted Nicole Engel, Executive Director, Harlem Grown. “We believe education is at the core of our work, as food access requires education. As we continue to think about how to best support and nurture our school-age children in the neighborhood, we are thrilled to introduce this new initiative. When you think holistically, you begin to see that food justice, nutrition, literacy, and overall health are all connected.”
Harlem Grown’s Earth Day Celebration is Saturday, April 23 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT at 118 W. 134th Street, NY, NY. Along with the launch of the library, there will be free yoga, cooking demos, hands-on kids programs, food scrap tie-dying, and music. The rain date is Sunday, April 24.
About Harlem Grown
Harlem Grown is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition. Founded in 2011, we operate local urban farms, increase access to and knowledge of healthy food for Harlem residents, and provide garden-based development programs to Harlem youth. For more information, visit: www.harlemgrown.org.