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United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (UMMBC) receives Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) Foundation Healthy Eating Equipment Grant benefitting S.G. Atkins Community Gardens.

Grant writer Mary Perkins and UMMBC member survey land where equipment is to be used.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) Foundation partnered with the North Carolina Council of Churches to provide grants to faith-based organizations’ efforts to supply healthy eating alternatives to its members and underserved communities. Grants were awarded to twenty (20) faith-based organizations throughout North Carolina. United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (UMMBC) is one of two (2) churches in Forsyth County selected to receive one of the grants.  The $5,000 grant will be used to purchase much needed equipment and supplies to support the ten (10) gardens that now comprise the S.G. Atkins Community Gardens.

This year United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church began its second year as one of the garden partners of the S.G. Atkins Community Gardens.  When applying for this grant, the Senior Pastor, Reverend Prince R. Rivers, and leadership of UMMBC’s Health and Wellness Ministry understood that if selected as a recipient of the (BCBSNC) Foundation Healthy Eating Equipment Grant, the church’s mission of engaging its members in social and economic activities benefiting underserved populations would be sustained.  Furthermore, UMMBC’s mission could be further enhanced through the collective efforts of all gardens that use space at the S.G. Atkins’ Garden site.

Garden captain Allen Keesee on the grill during recent Community Garden Open House

Gardeners at the site share resources such as tools, equipment, storage shed and gardening tips.  The grant will provide for the purchase of several key items that included among other things: assorted gardening equipment; heavy-duty hoses, sprinklers, tillers, wheelbarrows, and mulch as well as patio umbrellas with bases for sheltering the workers from the heat.

Simon’s Community Gardens (SCG) is an organic gardening community, rooted in the Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) tradition of service. It ties together WSSU’s students, faculty, staff, neighboring churches and civic clubs. The venue provides intergenerational hands-on learning through sustainable horticulture, therapeutic gardening and teamwork.  The ultimate goal of all gardens is to provide fresh produce and encourage a healthy lifestyle in underserved populations.

Gardens Coordinator Sigrid Hall (far right) listens to logistics plans shared during recent open house.

“The initial garden, Simon’s Green Acre started in 2010, was an experiment to see if we could actually do what we envisioned, “ said Sigrid Hall, who has headed the project since its inception. “The success of our garden and constant marketing and outreach to other organizations has help our gardening community to grow to ten gardens today.”

“We have a committed core group of individuals who are ready to roll up their sleeves and make it happen. What better way to promote healthy eating and lifestyles, and provide an opportunity for community engagement, feed the hungry, create learning opportunities for our students and area schools – and grow some great vegetables at the same time,” Hall said.

The SCG members include:

Big Brothers Big Sisters Community Garden

In the gardens, everyone, no matter how young or how old lends a hand.

Ken Carlson Boys and Girls Club Garden

City of Winston-Salem Youth Advisory Council Garden

Emmanuel Baptist Church School Garden

An Army of supporters from Emanuel Baptist Church attend recent Open House

GRACE Garden

Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., Global Poverty culture Project

Simon’s Green Acre

Southside Community Church Garden

Local students put plants into the ground in the garden of the Youth Council Garden.

United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church Garden

A young man discovers that you have to put your back into to make a garden grow.

The success of the gardens is due in large part to the generous support of the S.G. Atkins Community Development Corporation (S.G. Atkins CDC), which donated the land and water for the gardens; the Forsyth County Agricultural Extension Service, that donated some seeds, expertise and cooking tips; and myriad volunteers who purchased additional plants/seeds, gardening materials spending countless hours tending them. These volunteers harvested and delivered produce to ministries for homeless, sick and the elderly. Over the past three years collectively, approximately 7,000 pounds of produce has been harvested.  With the monies from the BCBSNC Foundation grant, the gardens collectively are expected to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables for underserved residents of Forsyth County this year.

Children discover new worlds during their visit to the gardens.

If you would like to become a gardening partner or visit the gardens contact Sigrid Hall at 336-750-3148 or email her halls@wssu.edu

They say patience is a virtue. Well, for WSSU alum Devore Holman, the wait of 23 years as an assistant football coach has prepared him to assume the top spot. Read more here.

The award-winning documentary “Soul Food Junkies” that looks at the soul food tradition and its relevance to black culture will be shown on Tuesday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m. at The Enterprise Conference Center, 1922 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Winston-Salem.
The presentation of the 65-minute long film will be free.  Following the screening, there will [...]

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See more photos of the NASCAR Combine.