When walking from Penn Street onto Hope Street, which resembles an alley more than a road, it is hard not to be surprised by the beautiful garden adorning a one acre property in the very heart of the Salem Square Neighborhood.
The Hope Street Garden & Learning Lab has been in function for two years now, and has serviced the community of Salem Square in countless ways. Students from Lincoln Charter and Thackston schools often visit and tend to the garden, learning important lessons in eating healthier, growing their own produce to save money, and simply taking care of another living object.
These kids are truly bringing hope to this community every day. The Hope Street Garden & Learning Lab is the first outdoor classroom in Pennsylvania, and its primary mission is to change lives through education, one child at a time. In fact on May 19, the Lincoln Charter Team of 750 students, 100 staff, and a small group of parents delivered 750 plants to the Garden, where the students were able to plant the seeds that they will watch over in the coming months.
Currently, the team overseeing the Hope Street Garden & Learning Lab is planning to build an outdoor pavilion, which will be used as a classroom. Construction is currently scheduled for June 14 at 9 a.m. The Lab is looking for donations of building materials, including treated lumber, picnic tables, flowers, stones, mulch, fruit trees, and other various gardening materials.
If you are interested in helping out with this build, or getting involved with the garden in general, please contact Annie Clark, Community Outreach Director at 717-817-4019. Help bring even more hope to this “budding” community!
