When we think about food security - which we all do so much more often these days - we want to be certain that everyone, everyone, has access to fresh foods to make and keep their bodies healthy, and that our kids know where those healthy foods come from (the earth, not plastic bags in grocery stores).

So it is one of ACT's goals to keep building and maintaining school and community gardens on the island to secure that healthy future for all. We are thrilled to write that in spite of the immense challenges of these Coronavirus days, ACT was able to build two new community gardens this spring, at Bike Newport's Big Blue Bike Barn and Park Holm Senior Center, with a lot of help and funding from our project partners and friends:

Newport Housing Authority , Mill City and Keough Construction (a huge shout-out to Manny Ferreira for keeping the projects on track and being an all round great guy to work with);
Bike Newport for their garden vision, inspiration and partnership at the Bike Barn;
Dan Christina of Green Animals, The Preservation Society of Newport for donated seedlings;
Little River Farm for their donation of seeds;
URI Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener Program for their donations of seeds;

Scott Wheeler and the crew of Newport's Parks, Grounds and Forestry Department for moving trees, supplying mulch and supporting the gardens in so many other ways; and
Newport Fire Department for filling the water tanks at the Barn.

The gardens are flourishing and producing a bounty of fresh vegetables, which, while school is out and there are restrictions still in place around community gardening, is being donated to families in need through the Newport Public Schools Summer Meals Program.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU: This year's outdoor garden education program at Pell Elementary School and support to the north side gardens was made possible by a generous gift from Charlotte Marshall, with additional funding from the Rhode Island Foundation, the Newport Public Schools Foundation and the John Clarke Trust.