Tony Hillery is the founder of Harlem Grown, an independent, non-profit organization that transforms abandoned community gardens and lots into vibrant urban farms in partnership with local public schools and the community. While Hillery has spent the past two years teaching children about healthy lifestyles through Harlem Grown, in the summer of 2024 he realized that his own health was not very good, when he was diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Today he talks about his idea to create a garden in Harlem so school children can learn about how to plant, grow, cook, and eat healthy.
Q: How did you get the idea to start your organization, Harlem Grown?
A: I first came to P.S. 175 working as a parent advocate. I wanted to get involved in the school, because of all the challenges the Harlem schools face such as, the budget cuts that have caused gym and art classes to be taken away, as well as poor quality the meals. So, I wanted to get involved and somehow get the people living in the neighborhood, specifically the parents, to join me in gaining more resources for the school. Then, I saw the plot of land across the street from P.S. 175, and heard people talk about when it used to be a garden. But then people started to drink there, do drugs, and things like that. So, I thought it would be a great opportunity to reclaim the piece of land and give the kids that resource.
Q: Once you began the garden how did you get the school children involved?
A: The first year there were 400 kids, and each kid planted one seed and they each had their own plant. That continued for a while, the garden was a lot smaller then. Then, eventually, the garden began to grow, and we grew all kinds of vegetables. The kids also started eating the vegetables they grew. So, we just started building on all of the excitement of the kids, because they wanted to eat what they were growing and more and more kids wanted to be a part of the garden. It became this whole positive, healthy thing. Not only did the garden create a positive environment for these kids, many of whom do not have a peaceful environment to return to after the school day is over, but it also provided them with access to healthy fruits and vegetables. As I began to become more familiar with the neighborhood, I learned that there are a total of 53 fried chicken restaurants right around the school, in addition to a number of other fast food restaurants, and that any of the fruits and vegetables one can find in the neighborhood are really bad quality, so I realized how much the community needed the sorts of food we grow.