Featuring Ayanna Jones of Sankofa Village Community Garden in Pittsburgh and Robert Grey from Braddock Farms in Braddock, Pennsylvania.
Ayanna Jones runs the Sankofa Village Community Garden in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Ayanna understands the incredible positive impact of bringing healthy food via community gardens into urban neighborhoods. The garden employs local youth during the summer, and they learn to plant, tend and harvest the more than 15 active garden beds growing lettuce, watermelon, beets, carrots, herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers and Brussels sprouts. In addition to learning about urban agriculture and healthy food, Jones empowers the young urban farmers with leadership skills.
Robert Grey is the Farm Educator & Outreach Coordinator for Grow Pittsburgh at Braddock Farms. Braddock was one of the biggest steel towns outside of Pittsburgh before the decline of that industry. When most of the steel mills left, so did much of the population and now the town is facing major disinvestment. The farm sits in front of the last remaining steel mill in Braddock. Without a grocery store in the area, Braddock Farms serves as an important way for community members to access fresh fruits and vegetables.
