Local Gardeners Team Up To Create More Green Space In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It may be winter, but there are groups already hard at work helping to connect local seniors with community gardens.

Starting more neighborhood gardens and getting older Philadelphians involved; that's one of the projects of Gen Philly, a network linking young professionals with older Philadelphians.

The group sponsored a City Hall workshop last week, where organizations talked about how to get more gardens going. Tara Schwartzendruber-Landis of the Nationalities Senior program says gardening helps the body and soul.

"It's a really important activity for elders to be able to engage in growing their own food, to be teachers, and teaching others how to grow their own food." Schwartzendruber-Landis adds, "And it's really good for the mental health, the physical health of older adults and the nutritional needs of older adults as well."

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society runs a program called Garden Tenders, which helps communities transform vacant land into gardens.

Reported By Mike DeNardo, KYW Newsradio.