BUILDING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE THROUGH URBAN FARMING THE BIRTH AND EVOLUTION

OF TCAH'S FARMS AND GARDENS

TCAH's CEO and Founder, Dr. Melony Samuels, had a big ambition to start farming when she realized that access to fresh food was challenging for her neighbors in BedStuy and the surrounding communities. Dr. Samuels, a Jamaican by birth, knew that once a green space was available, it could be transformed to grow food! She was motivated to utilize two plots of garden spaces behind the 2010 Fulton St location – which had become TCAH's Benefits Access Office, and the former pantry housed in the Full Gospel Tabernacle of Faith Church at 15A Hull St. She expressed the idea of farming, but was dissuaded by the notion that one could not grow in an urban community! However, she knew that this was crucial as many of the families coming to TCAH could not afford fresh leafy greens and vegetables. It was a scarce and expensive commodity, so she began farming the two "Victory Gardens!"

The two lots approximately 4,000 sft has grown today to TCAH's half-acre urban farm in Far Rockaway, Saratoga Farm, Brownsville Farm, and Linden Farm in Brooklyn. Annually, TCAH produces 20,000 pounds of food on our four urban farms, distributed to high-need communities, providing over 100 varieties of nutritious, culturally rich leafy greens and vegetables through various delivery mechanisms, including farmers' markets and mobile pantries. TCAH is proud to announce that we will break ground on an 8,000 SF Urban Agriculture Education Center at the Marlboro Houses in Coney Island in 2024 to expand access to more nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables in the community.