Message from Hattie Carthan Food Projects During COVID-19

Beloved Community,

Hope all of you are doing well. ❤ I don’t even know how to describe where we are, only that we’ve been forced to “stop” and we’re in it together. What a way to come together, well nothing else seemed to work. Our hearts are with you as we navigate these times of deep uncertainty. The progression of COVID-19 around the world is impacting all of our lives and while we hold at the center of our awareness the most vulnerable among us, we know that each of us is being changed as we adjust to what this moment is asking of us.

We at the Hattie Carthan community food projects – The community garden, herb farm and two markets are happy with the choices we’ve made to evolve our sovereignty over the past decade.

Most of you know the plants , animals, organisms, youths and seniors have taught us so much. We appreciate them so much, so wise.

Were taking this time to reimagine healing gardens, public markets and have begun to make new important collaborations with institutions needing food deliveries in the era of social distancing. We plan to launch our long overdue holistic health podcast and to continue strategic ramp ups which will help the farm to function as an outdoor plant and sound meditation space. We've been spending our days with a small group of essential workers starting seedlings for the communities that might need fresh, high vibrational food and herbs most and doing practical live videos to help our community advance resilience around plants.

Please help us to use this slow time to reinvent and expand our community work.

DONATION LINK : www.hattiecarthancommunitymarket.com

Please take a Look at what our main collaborators are saying:

GreenThumb’s News

Important Service Changes

Published March 21, 2020

The World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 disease, known as the coronavirus, a pandemic. Due to this, GreenThumb is making important service changes, to ensure the health and safety of our partners and the public. You can learn more, including how to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, on the CDC or NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene webpage. For important NYC Parks Department information, please visit NYC Parks' Service Announcements page.

Find out more about our additional safety precautions, program cancellations, and potential closures before you head to a garden or event. For updates on upcoming workshops and events, please visit the Workshop Updates and Garden Events pages.

GrowTogether

GreenThumb GrowTogether will not occur on April 4-5 as previously planned. We are currently exploring options to reschedule GrowTogether, and will share new information as soon as it is available.

Policy on Community Gardens on NYC Parks Property (updated 3/21/2020)

The World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 disease, known as the coronavirus, a pandemic. At GreenThumb, the health and safety of the public and our partners is always our top concern. In compliance with Governor Cuomo’s recent executive order, effective immediately and until further notice community gardens may remain open or closed to garden members only at the discretion of each garden group, and only for absolutely necessary maintenance and season preparation.

Due to the relatively small spaces in most gardens and the difficulty in achieving safe social distancing of 6 feet or more, gardens must remain closed to the general public. We realize that this will be disappointing to some, but it is necessary to help protect public health. Below are details and requirements to guide garden groups, which remain in effect until further notice:

Garden Access: Access must be limited to garden members only, and only for garden maintenance and season preparation that is absolutely necessary. Gardens must remain closed to the public until further notice, and gardeners should close keep garden gates closed while working in gardens.
Events and Gatherings: All public events in community gardens on NYC Parks property are prohibited. In addition, all in-person meetings, activities, and gatherings of garden groups are prohibited. Large projects that require many hands must be postponed.
Social Distancing: Gardeners working in gardens must observe safe social distancing by keeping at 6 feet between all people at all times
Staggering Access: Garden groups must make best efforts to stagger access to gardens to minimize the number of members inside at the same time
Disinfesting surfaces: Gardeners should regularly disinfect all shared tools and spaces. Disinfection guidelines can be found on the CDC website.
Review Current COVID-19 Information: Gardeners should review current information and guidelines on COVID-19 on the CDC and DOHMH webpage, especially with regard to populations at risk.

Thank you in advance for your close attention to these requirements. We encourage you to continue to take all necessary steps to help keep yourself and our City safe during this challenging time. You can learn more, including how to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, on the CDC or NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene webpage.

Food Assistance:

DOE Free Meals - to find locations of free meal pick ups. You can also call 311 or text “Food” or “Comida” to 877-877 to get locations near you.
Three free grab and go meals available daily for all NYC youth (18 and under), all three meals can be picked up at the same time
No registration, ID, or documentation needed
Monday -Friday 7:30 am to 1:30 pm for pick up
FoodHelp NYC – locate emergency food sites
NYC Human Resources Administration Emergency Food Hotline: 866-888-8777
Community Food Advocates also has a map of free meal pick up along with other food assistance resources on their website
Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center is connecting community members in need with food resources through Coronavirus NYC Food Resource Guides for each NYC neighborhood. Find neighborhood specific information on DOE school meal distribution, grocery stores, senior meals and more.

Services and Resources for those who may be unemployed or seeking other assistance:

COVID-19 Services and Resources includes resources and links for city resources regarding employment, food and financial assistance, mental health and more

Mental Health and Stigma:

COVID-19 Coping with Stress/Mental Wellness Guidance
ThriveNYC Resources – Mental Health while Staying at Home
NYC Well is a free and confidential mental health support service that can help New Yorkers cope. NYC Well staff are available 24/7 and can provide brief counseling and referrals to care in over 200 languages. For support, call 888-NYCWELL (888-692-9355), text "WELL" to 65173 or chat online by visiting nyc.gov/nycwell.
You can also visit NYC Well and click on their App Library to find apps and online tools to help you manage your health and emotional well-being from home.
COVID-19 Stigma Tracker: The NYC Health Department is asking New Yorkers to share incidents of stigma that are occurring in your communities related to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Other practical tips for COVID-19: How to wash hands to kill germs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYFWbwgf-2Q How to make homemade hand sanitizer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAHZ5soWz0A How to make the safest face mask: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6d3twpHwis This world map, updated everyday, shows the pandemic around the world: It's mind-boggling, but good to be aware: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries Think Survive to Thrive. Farmer Yon & The Farm & Markets Crew DONATE HERE TO SUPPORT FRESH FOOD FOR COMMUNITIES THAT NEED IT MOST IN THE ERA OF SOCIAL DISTANCING