PITTSBURGH—Fairmont Pittsburgh general manager Leonard Czarnecki announced that his hotel has donated $10,000 to Grow Pittsburgh and initiated a long-term partnership with the nonprofit organization to support its mission of demonstrating, teaching and promoting responsible urban food production. The donation is part of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ CARE (Community Assistance and Responsibility to the Environment) Grant Program which provides funding to support environmentally-focused initiatives and social and community wellbeing. Most of the grant will be used to support the construction of a school garden in the local community through Grow Pittsburgh’s unique Edible Schoolyard program—a collaborative effort between Grow Pittsburgh, area elementary schools and their surrounding communities to integrate garden activities into regular classroom curriculum.
“We are looking forward to working with the staff and guests of Fairmont Pittsburgh to further our goal of nurturing a knowledge and love for fruits and vegetables in children at an early age,” said Julie Butcher Pezzino, Grow Pittsburgh executive director.
In addition to financial support, the partnership will create volunteer opportunities for Fairmont Pittsburgh colleagues, including garden renovation and maintenance and a collection drive to gather kitchen supplies for the Edible Schoolyard winter programming unit. The culinary team at Fairmont Pittsburgh will also support Grow Pittsburgh’s educational programming through a number of initiatives. They will host students from the organization’s internship program to educate them on organic, sustainable and local cooking in the Fairmont Pittsburgh kitchens, as well as participate in cooking demonstrations in the community gardens and schools.
Guests at Fairmont Pittsburgh can also support Grow Pittsburgh. A Grow Pittsburgh cocktail menu at the lobby bar Andys will offer green-inspired drinks such as the “Grow-jito,” made with mint from the Grow Pittsburgh gardens. One dollar of each cocktail purchased will be donated to Grow Pittsburgh. The Meetings That Matter program offers meeting planners and groups the opportunity to underwrite a portion of Grow Pittsburgh’s printing costs and then assemble educational veggie packets while on site. These veggie packets provide colorful photos and simple cooking tips for low income families and students in the local community and encourage healthy lifestyle choices.
Grow Pittsburgh was formed in 2005 by the owner/operators of two urban farms: Mildreds’ Daughters Urban Farm and Garden Dreams. Grow Pittsburgh envisions the day when growing and eating healthy, local food is commonplace. Their mission is to demonstrate, teach and promote responsible food production.
Go to Fairmont Pittsburgh and Grow Pittsburgh.
