The Passavant
Hospital Foundation, UPMC Senior Services, UPMC’s Aging Institute, local
students, a Boy Scout troop and the residents of Cumberland Crossing are all
working together to plant and maintain the vegetable garden. It’s an intergenerational project
in that older adults will interact with children and teenagers.
“Relationships
are cultivated in the planning, planting and ongoing maintenance of the
gardens,” says
Betty
Robison, gerontology educator at the University of Pittsburgh who is
leading the community garden initiative.
The garden also provides an
opportunity to teach kids about healthy eating (e.g., using
Choose My Plate guidelines for healthy eating that center on the theme of filling half
of our plate with fruits and vegetables), and to emphasize
community service and civic involvement, since the locally grown veggies will be used
by UPMC Passavant facilities. Residents of Cumberland Crossing will also
develop recipes to share along with their best gardening tips.
In addition to this new garden at
UPMC Passavant, Magee Women’s Hospital will continue to plant
seasonal
vegetable gardens in collaboration with Phipps Conservatory. Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC also
supports the
Lawrenceville
Community Block Garden Club, and UPMC’s Shadyside, Presbyterian,
Montefiore, Magee Women’s, McKeesport, and Passavant hospitals all have healing
gardens that provide green space for patients.
Additionally, most of the produce used in UPMC
cafeterias and dietary services are locally sourced from regional farms in
Southwestern Pennsylvania. UPMC’s Dietary Services will also continue offering
the “
Hospital
Farmers Market,” where outpatients and visitors are welcome to participate.
