Earth Day event: urban farm at housing development

Los Angeles County Community Development Commission

 

 

For Immediate Release                      April 15, 2010

 

Contact: Elisa Vásquez, (323) 890-7415, elisa.vasquez@lacdc.org

 

 

EARTH DAY EVENT TO BE HELD
AT THE GROWING EXPERIENCE URBAN FARM
IN THE CARMELITOS PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

 

The Growing Experience, operated by the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (HACoLA), will be hosting a celebration to commemorate the 40-year anniversary of Earth Day on Thursday, April 22, 2010, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The event will be held at The Growing Experience’s urban farm in the Carmelitos housing development, located at 750 Via Carmelitos, in the City of Long Beach.  The event is open to the public.

The Earth Day celebration will include appetizers prepared by local chefs using produce from the farm, workshops and demonstrations on energy and resource conservation, tours of The Growing Experience grounds and facilities, activities for children, and information on a Community Supported Agriculture program.  There will also be booths from local businesses in “green” related industries. 

Through The Growing Experience, HACoLA promotes the individual achievement of public housing residents and Section 8 participants by training them for jobs in the horticulture field and helping them develop marketable skills.  The program further supports self-sufficiency by providing job search and placement services for program graduates.  Since the program’s inception in 1996, 160 youth and adults have successfully completed the program, and three more are participating in the current session. 

The Growing Experience facility, a 7-acre urban farm and community garden, is available for educational tours to community groups and schools, and training programs are provided for low-income youth in the Long Beach area. 

Sean Rogan, Executive Director of HACoLA stated, “We are committed to supporting environmental awareness. The Growing Experience provides the perfect avenue to educate local residents about the benefits of fresh locally-grown produce while at the same time, exposing the community to the green industries and encouraging resource conservation.“   

 

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