May 26, 2011
By BETH D'ADDONO, For the Daily News
THE GREATEST symbol of hope for the beleaguered downtown business district in Chester isn't the fancy new soccer stadium or the new casino along the riverfront.
For people like LarRaine Branch, who's lived here for 46 years, or octogenarian Thelma K. Haskins, in residence since 1953, hope blooms in the shape of a beautiful bunch of fresh collards or a tray of what Haskins calls "chicken hips," all-natural Bell & Evans chicken legs and thighs. Those are just a few of the items on the shelves at the Chester Co-op, a community-owned grocery store that brings healthy and fresh food and staples into the heart of town.
What does this place mean to me?" said Branch. "It means everything to me. To see the co-op grow and come to life helped me regain my faith in what could be. People like me who knew Chester when it was a great city still see a place worth saving, a place that is worth something. And why shouldn't we be able to shop in our own community?"
Why, indeed.
The last supermarket in Chester closed 17 years ago, leaving only neighborhood bodegas in its place. Chester's economic woes, kick-started back in the '50s and '60s with the loss of shipping and manufacturing jobs, are written in the vacant storefronts and shuttered businesses in the once bustling downtown. The city's crime rate is worrisome; about half its young people never finish high school. This was the scene that greeted Tina Johnson when she returned to her hometown in 2005 after living and working in Mexico and India for more than a decade.
"I came back to be with family, my mom lives here, my father's family lives here," said Johnson. "But there was no place to buy fresh food. I could get grapes and bananas in the Himalayas, but not in Chester? That seemed crazy."
The idea for the co-op came up at a... [ READ MORE ]
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
A Unique Block Party...
Chester Community Garden Expands With Help from Amish Horse and Plow Team
CHESTER, PA -- On Saturday, May 7, a team of Amish horses from Lancaster County will be working in a public housing development in Chester, helping residents of the Ruth L. Bennett Homes plow a new field for their community garden.
A block party is planned for the day, with gardening, art activities, and a DJ from 11 AM to 2 PM. A barbecue lunch will be served at 1 PM by the Amish Farmer’s Market. Local children will unveil a mural they have painted for the garden. All are welcome.
The Ruth L. Bennett Homes Community Garden is a collaboration between the Ruth L. Bennett Resident Council, the Chester Housing Authority, and students from Swarthmore College. The event kicks off a major expansion for the garden, including a new cultivation area, an outdoor kitchen and classroom space, and a market stand.
The garden is an initiative of the Cooperative Projects, an innovative model of community development bringing together community organizations, the Chester Housing Authority, and institutions providing education and other services. A large-scale urban agriculture program is planned on Housing Authority property, with the cultivation of fresh produce viewed as an opportunity for education, improved food access, and business development.
WHO:
Chester Public Housing Residents, Amish horse and plow team, and Swarthmore Students
WHAT:
A garden expansion and block party with garden activities, art projects, and BBQ
WHEN:
Saturday, May 7, 11 AM - 2 PM
WHERE:
The Ruth L Bennett Homes Community Garden
Carlas Lane, Chester, PA
(20 minutes south of Philadelphia. Directions attached)
VISUALS:
Children with Amish horses and plows in public housing development. Mural painted by community members. Excellent photo and video opportunities.
SEE ATTACHED FOR DIRECTIONS
DIRECTIONS:
Ruth L. Bennett Homes Community Garden
Chester, PA 19013
From I-95 South (Philadelphia and points north)
Exit 3B, Highland Ave
Right on Highland Ave
Left on W 9th St
Left on Carlas Lane (Norris Drive on GoogleMaps)
From I-95 North (Delaware and points south)
Exit 5 Towards Kerlin St
Right on Kerlin St
Right on W 9th St
Right on Carlas Lane (Norris Drive on GoogleMaps)
The Ruth L Bennett Homes Community Garden
is located at the end of the Carlas Lane loop, by the basketball courts.
CHESTER, PA -- On Saturday, May 7, a team of Amish horses from Lancaster County will be working in a public housing development in Chester, helping residents of the Ruth L. Bennett Homes plow a new field for their community garden.
A block party is planned for the day, with gardening, art activities, and a DJ from 11 AM to 2 PM. A barbecue lunch will be served at 1 PM by the Amish Farmer’s Market. Local children will unveil a mural they have painted for the garden. All are welcome.
The Ruth L. Bennett Homes Community Garden is a collaboration between the Ruth L. Bennett Resident Council, the Chester Housing Authority, and students from Swarthmore College. The event kicks off a major expansion for the garden, including a new cultivation area, an outdoor kitchen and classroom space, and a market stand.
The garden is an initiative of the Cooperative Projects, an innovative model of community development bringing together community organizations, the Chester Housing Authority, and institutions providing education and other services. A large-scale urban agriculture program is planned on Housing Authority property, with the cultivation of fresh produce viewed as an opportunity for education, improved food access, and business development.
WHO:
Chester Public Housing Residents, Amish horse and plow team, and Swarthmore Students
WHAT:
A garden expansion and block party with garden activities, art projects, and BBQ
WHEN:
Saturday, May 7, 11 AM - 2 PM
WHERE:
The Ruth L Bennett Homes Community Garden
Carlas Lane, Chester, PA
(20 minutes south of Philadelphia. Directions attached)
VISUALS:
Children with Amish horses and plows in public housing development. Mural painted by community members. Excellent photo and video opportunities.
SEE ATTACHED FOR DIRECTIONS
DIRECTIONS:
Ruth L. Bennett Homes Community Garden
Chester, PA 19013
From I-95 South (Philadelphia and points north)
Exit 3B, Highland Ave
Right on Highland Ave
Left on W 9th St
Left on Carlas Lane (Norris Drive on GoogleMaps)
From I-95 North (Delaware and points south)
Exit 5 Towards Kerlin St
Right on Kerlin St
Right on W 9th St
Right on Carlas Lane (Norris Drive on GoogleMaps)
The Ruth L Bennett Homes Community Garden
is located at the end of the Carlas Lane loop, by the basketball courts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)