Atlanta Hawks and State Farm teach youth how to garden sustainably

ATLANTA – On Tuesday, the Hawks and State Farm teamed up to host a gardening event, Growing Places, for local youth to teach them about sustainability. At the event, which took place at the Good Neighbor Club at the NH Scott Recreation Center, students were joined by Hawks’ Guard, Garrison Mathews, as they learned how to plant and harvest produce and make smoothies refreshing with fresh produce with Georgia’s youngest certified. farmer, Kendall Rae Johnson.

“State Farm Good Neighbor Clubs and Hawks Community Courts are our home away from home where we can build communities and provide educational opportunities and basketball programs for young people to learn, grow and thrive.” , said the Hawks vice president for community impact and basketball. Programs, Jon Babul. “Our commitment to youth development goes beyond basketball, and education is the foundation and catalyst for opportunity. The knowledge shared today about sustainable and healthy living will last a lifetime.

Students joined Johnson and the Chattahoochee Nature Center for a panel on sustainability and how gardening can help everyday life. Following the panel, students learned about the produce life cycle as they planted tomatoes, beets, carrot seeds and more in the garden alongside volunteers from the Chattahoochee Nature Center.

At the next station, the young people learned how to harvest food correctly and were able to prepare a refreshing smoothie with Johnson products. Students also got to interact with a box turtle at another station and learn about how wildlife interacts with nature.

“State Farm’s partnership with the Atlanta Hawks continues to have a positive impact on students in metro Atlanta,” said Tanya James, State Farm corporate responsibility manager. “We are currently partnering to give NH Scott Recreation Center students the opportunity to learn about gardening from experts like Kendall Rae Johnson and the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Students will help plant seeds in the community garden and learn about sustainable gardening practices. Helping students learn about gardening reinforces our commitment to combating food insecurity while building safer, stronger, better-educated communities.

Last week, Hawks and State Farm worked together to prepare the garden for today’s event and for continued future use. Volunteers from both organizations created new plant beds, planted flowers and installed a new shed and a new fence, which the young people were able to enjoy as part of the event.

Students also contributed to today’s event by painting rocks to decorate the garden. Youth from the Good Neighbor Club at NH Scott Recreation Center can continue to implement the skills they learned at today’s event and enjoy fresh produce from the garden.

The Hawks and State Farm have led efforts in several community initiatives to better serve the Atlanta metro area. In January 2022, the organizations opened the newly renovated and expanded “Good Neighbor Pantry” with a “Stock the Pantry Party” to support underserved seniors in the community. The Hawks and State Farm also host the annual Million Meal Pack, the team’s largest service initiative, in which they prepare more than a million meals for the Atlanta community.

To learn more about the Hawks’ work in the community, visit Hawks.com/Community.

To learn more about how State Farm supports safety, education and community development, visit: Community Service and Involvement – State Farm®.