Governor Quinn Announces Investment in East St. Louis Community Garden Learning Center

EAST ST. LOUIS - Governor Pat Quinn today announced an investment of $150,000 in the F.R.E.S.H. Community Teaching Garden for the construction of a permanent outdoor classroom and learning center. Today's announcement is part of the Governor's agenda to promoting healthy eating and an active lifestyle.

"The F.R.E.S.H. Community Teaching Garden is working wonders for its community, teaching children and adults alike the joy of growing and cooking healthy meals," Governor Quinn said. "This outdoor learning center will enable the garden's educational work to continue year-round rain or shine."

Located in the East Side Health District food desert, the F.R.E.S.H Community Teaching Garden (FCTG) was created to increase access to fresh food and promote healthy eating by teaching residents how to plant, grow, pick and cook their own fresh fruits and vegetables. With more than 500 visitors annually, FCTG offers gardening classes, cooking demonstrations, volunteer opportunities and youth internships to the local community. The F.R.E.S.H. Community Teaching Garden also partners with various local school districts as a horticulture work site for classes and serves as a work site for the Summer Youth Employment Project.

The $150,000 investment will be used to construct a red barn to serve as an outdoor classroom and learning center. The permanent structure will allow the garden to offer classes year round, serving as a winter classroom for horticulture and a cooling center during the summer months. The barn will provide space for educational demonstrations on planting, cooking, composting and urban ecosystems. The barn will also host community events.

The teaching garden was created in 2010 as part of Governor Quinn's "Mud to Community Gardens" program, an extension of the state's successful "Mud to Parks" program. "Mud to Community Gardens" relocates clean river-dredged silt for use in the development of community gardens where adequate soil may not exist or is unavailable for use.

FCTG won the Governor's Home Town Award in 2012, and is a designated Let's Move! Garden, as part of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative to get kids moving and eating healthy food, and a USDA People's Garden. To qualify as a People's Garden, a garden must be a collaborative effort that provides a benefit to the community and incorporates sustainable practices. The garden's partnership with the local farmer's market has drawn over 500 people to the market this season.

"The creation of the outdoor year-long classroom will be a great opportunity for members of the community to learn, no matter what time of year it is," State Senator James Clayborne (D-Belleville) said. "The new classroom will uplift our community, be a great addition to the neighborhood and offer a safe environment for the kids."

The Governor is committed to increasing the accessibility and affordability of healthy food options in Illinois, supporting the LINK Up Illinois program, which aims to connect low-income residents with nutritious food options by making fresh, healthy food more affordable through their Double Value Coupon Program.

Governor Quinn is also committed to ensuring all Illinois children have access to outdoor recreational and educational activities. In September, Governor Quinn announced over $16 million in funding for Illinois' parks as part the Governor's agenda to increase recreational opportunities throughout the state and promote an active, healthy lifestyle.