SEEDING A COMMUNITY IN THE COAST

Key Funders and Partners Light the Way

Beans, snow peas, sugar snap, cabbage, and zucchini–more than a rose can grow from concrete in Newark’s Lincoln Park Community Garden, which has been supported by Whole Foods since 2018. Its Whole Foods Whole Cities Foundation actively supports local growers who strengthen the local food system. This year, the Lincoln Park Community Garden was a “tour-stop” for new Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel. Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District’s (LPCCD) Whole Foods Grant included the “Influencer Grower Program” where one of the gardeners, renown Chef Sean Hassan, founder of Rhythm-N-Food, entered into LPCCD’s partner, Rising Tide Capital’s, Community Business Academy (CBA).

Upon graduation, participants are able to launch their “garden to table” food product idea or business within the space of a year. For the industrious Chef Hassan, the combined experiences will support the launch of his “Rhythm-N-Food Drive By Bistro” food truck. “Having an opportunity to learn how to grow my own food in the Lincoln Park Community Garden supported by Whole Foods–as opposed to shopping for it–really helped me understand how to care for veggies from seed to table. Now, transferring that knowledge through Rising Tide Capital’s CBA in order to grow my mobile food truck business is priceless.”

Building a sustainable community requires fresh food access and improved quality of life. In “The Coast,” we don’t just eat clean, we clean our streets also through the help of key partners like Keep America Beautiful. It’s the mission of Keep America Beautiful to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify American communities like Newark’s Lincoln Park.

For Earth Day 2022, Keep America Beautiful Newark Executive Director Malkia King led the charge by partnering with LPCCD, MARS Inc., Whole Foods, Passaic Valley Sewage Commission, Integrity House, Link School, and Link Community Charter School to clean the blocks and park, prep the garden for Spring planting season, and decorate outdoor planters painted by Link School students. On the importance of collaboration, King states

“Community-based organizations are our boots on the ground. Organizations like Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District advocate for the needs of the community, dictate how we deploy our resources, and empower residents and stakeholders to get engaged and take charge of their own blocks. We also partner with the municipality such as City of Newark Office of Sustainability and Department of Public Works. It’s a win-win for all.”

When Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District issued the call for partners to take back a desolate and dark space behind the historic New Ark Cathedral Church (known as La Vid Verdadera en La Catedral New Ark, Lincoln Park) and Dryden Mansion, the Love Tito’s giving arm of Tito’s Handmade Vodka put resources in action. As a seed funder, along with City of Newark Office of Sustainability’s Love Your Block, Crawford Street Partners, and others, they helped the non-profit actualize the Lincoln Park Gallery Without Walls Alley Reclamation Project.

Prior to the opening of The Willows at Symphony Hall, “Little Five Points” was a dimly lit, desolate strip with little residential foot traffic leading to the park itself. Now, Lincoln Park has lighting, thanks to the Newark City Parks Foundation and PSE&G. PSE&G works with LPCCD by implementing LED technology with street lighting in the park and at identified intersections where there is an opportunity to improve the lighting. The enhanced lighting improves areas that were dark and supports LPCCD neighborhood safety initiatives. “PSEG and the PSEG Foundation are committed to helping build thriving and sustainable neighborhoods by empowering and investing in the many diverse communities we serve,” said Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and PSEG Foundation President Calvin Ledford. “We are pleased to help LPCCD improve the lighting in the park and help make the community safer for all.” PSE&G has also advocated, with the help of LPCCD, for Lincoln Park area energy efficiency programs that can benefit residents, small businesses, non-profit, and government agencies throughout the city. The Newark City Parks Foundation, whose mission is to encourage the City of Newark to use their neighborhood parks by offering community-building programs that bring people into their local green spaces, installed semi-permanent bistro lights for the next three-years, which encourage residents to increase usage of our park.

These key funders, along with the City of Newark’s Creative Catalyst Fund, The State of New Jersey’s Neighborhood Preservation Program, Valley Bank, Provident Bank, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey, TD Bank, Fedway, and many more support the organization and have anchored its programming to ensure the park and surrounding neighborhood come alive each season, like a good harvest.

Kim J. Ford is a published journalist/content creator, producer of the annual Lincoln Park Music Festival; founder of BRND Marketing Group LLC and proud Lincoln Park resident.

Newark Students Develop Workforce Skills during Summer Youth Employment Program, Hosted by Berkeley College

Students practice CPR during the Newark Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) on July 26, 2023. This summer, nearly 300 Newark residents...

Berkeley College Announces Opportunity Grant for Qualified New Jersey Residents to Earn a Degree Debt-Free

Qualified New Jersey residents can enroll in a full-time Associate’s degree program without incurring any loans for tuition and fees...

Berkeley College Appoints Patricia Greer, JD, as Provost

Share the News: @BerkeleyCollege #NewsBerkeley   Berkeley College has named Patricia “Patty” Bennett Greer, JD, as Provost, effective August 7, 2023...

Jobs, Wages and Education

In the summer of 1963, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial facing our nation’s Capitol...

Kool and the Gang co-founder donates thousands to NJ schools for music education

A co-founder of one of the most successful music groups to come out of New Jersey is helping the next...

Kean University President Repollet Attends White House’s National Summit on Equal Opportunity in Higher Education

Kean University President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., today joined U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, key members of the Biden-Harris...

DV Connector Network Presents – Precious Williams – The Killer Pitch Master

Securing Our Legacy Through UJAMAA DV Connector Network Series Hear from our Special Guest… Precious...

New Jersey Reparations Council Announced

On June 19, 2023, the second anniversary of our newest federal holiday, Juneteenth, celebrations marked...

AACCNJ’s First Juneteenth Black Business Expo

Black-owned businesses connected with private and public companies at the well-attended, inaugural Black Business Expo...

Summer in and out of the City

BY R.L. WITTER My husband at the wheel, the road stretches in front of me...

Why the Habit of Saving is Key to Becoming Financially Healthier

Savings is a foundational piece to financial health since research has found that unexpected expenses...

Jobs, Wages and Education

In the summer of 1963, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the Lincoln...

Newark’s Gospel Music Month Kick-Off Celebration

For 38 years, Gospel Music Month has been celebrated in Newark, NJ, the state’s Gospel Capital. Dr. Albert Lewis proposed...
Read More

Gospel in the City

Sounds of praise and joy were in the air at the East Orange Campus High School on June 10. Mayor...
Read More

NTAC Gala 2023

Neighborhood Technical Assistance Clinic (NTAC) Founder and CEO Rev. Dr. Valerie Oliver Durrah welcomed guests to the organization’s White Party...
Read More

More than 4,500 Volunteers Packed 1.5 Million Meals For New Yorkers In Need in Observance of 9/11 Day

September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance 22 years after the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the 9/11 anniversary...
Read More

Honoring Newark Heroes: Wayne Brooks Jr. and Augusto Acabou

By Steve Walkers To their families and coworkers they were know as “Bear” and ” Augie.” We know them as...
Read More

Jim Harding’s Never Ending Service to the Community

By Jean Nash Wells Called out of retirement, Jim Harding, now the Assistant Fire Commissioner and Senior Advisor of External...
Read More

President’s Message

By Lloyd Williams Welcome to The Positive Community’s 2023 “Harlem Summer” edition, and congratulations on The Positive Community’s continued commitment...
Read More

Brooklyn Chamber Hosts Energy Summit

Recent unprecedented heat with rare and never before experienced climate events wreaking havoc on populations around the world, climate change...
Read More

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives(NOBLE) Conference

In April, NOBLE Region I, encompassing New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, held its annual, two-day training...
Read More

Rev. Dr. Alyn Waller joins PHEN in the fight against prostate cancer

PHEN’s 2023 Prostate Cancer Disparity Rally: Have you heard that Black men get diagnosed with...

Shavonda E. Sumter, State Representative for Patterson, NJ introduces PHEN

Shavonda E. Sumter, State Representative for Patterson, NJ introduces PHEN and shares her experience about...

Alzheimer’s in African Americans: Are You at Risk? What You Need to Know

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, older Black Americans are two times more likely than their White counterparts...

The Bronny James Health Scare Highlights Cardiac Arrest in Young Athletes

Bronny James, the 18-year-old son of NBA superstar LeBron James, is in the news after...

Black Health Matters

Spring Health Summit and Expo In conjunction with the Office of Newark’s West Ward Councilman...

Prostate Health Education Network

Prostate Cancer Rally and Town Hall Meeting The Prostate Health Education Network’s (PHEN) New York...