WASHINGTON 鈥� Those walking the block of 24th and H Streets NW will likely notice several things: Cars and buses whizzing by, doctors and nurses hustling to the hospital, and a motorcade or two barreling through the narrow streets .
But look closely 鈥� just a few feet from the sidewalk 鈥� and you鈥檒l see George Washington University seniors Isabelle Moody and Elizabeth Ferrante digging in the dirt.
More specifically, they鈥檙e tending to a bed of vegetables in the middle of the busy Foggy Bottom neighborhood.
鈥淲e have lots of Swiss chard and kale; these are going to be some squash and zucchini for the winter,鈥� said Ferrante on a recent tour through George Washington University鈥檚 sustainable garden.
University students launched the in 2009, and in the last few years, the garden鈥檚 leaders have turned its focus toward feeding the city鈥檚 homeless population.
Each week, garden managers harvest crops 鈥� sometimes up to 40 pounds 鈥� and load up a wagon, which they wheel around the corner to , an organization that works to end chronic homelessness, starting with a home-cooked meal.
鈥淭he greens are huge; the kale and the Swiss chard are big items; and [our guests] love the cherry tomatoes that they give us. They鈥檙e like popping little pieces of candy in the mouth,鈥� said Cheryl Bell, executive chef at Miriam鈥檚 Kitchen.
Recently, the students who maintain the garden have started growing produce based on the demands that come from Miriam鈥檚 Kitchen. Herbs and tomatoes are at the top of the request lists, followed by greens.
Once at Miriam鈥檚, priority for the produce is given to residents in permanent supportive housing. Everything else is used in salads, sides and dressings served at dinner in the basement of Western Presbyterian Church on Virginia Avenue NW.
When Moody and Ferrante come across a few odds and ends in the garden 鈥� two carrots here, a half-bunch of kale there 鈥� they donate the items to the university鈥檚 on-campus food pantry.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 just part of our mission of trying to think about what exists beyond GW鈥檚 bubble and how we, as students, need to think about communities who are experiencing food insecurity in D.C.,鈥� Moody said.
Ferrante added, 鈥淚 think [the garden] is really special, in the way that it connects people.鈥�
