Keystone Today

Thanks to a $4 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant, the new GIANT Bleacher Garden at the former Bishop McDevitt High School will be turned into a community resource aimed at helping families in need of food assistance across the state of Pennsylvania.

Gov. Tom Wolf (D-PA) and First Lady Frances Wolf visited the site on May 20, according to the Official Pennsylvania Government Website. In April, Wolf awarded the grant money to Empower at the Bridge Foundation to renovate the former high school to create the JEDII Center. This center is intended for various commercial uses, such as indoor and outdoor urban agriculture, sustainable housing and education centers.

“When we work together, communities can be revitalized and success ensured,” Wolf said, according to the Official Pennsylvania Government Website. “What these organizations are doing here in Harrisburg is a model to be replicated. My $4 million investment combined with immense private support is going to create jobs and economic opportunity while simultaneously addressing immediate and basic needs for residents of Harrisburg. It’s a culmination of my administration’s priorities addressed by one eco-village.”

The GIANT Bleacher Garden repurposes unusable property in an area to yield enough fresh produce to help 120 families with 50 pounds of vegetables through the growing season. This garden is a partnership between The GIANT Company, The Bridge Foundation and Harrisburg City F.A.R.M.

“At The GIANT Company, we know that we must work together to truly change the world. By joining forces, we can and will make a lasting difference in Harrisburg,” Glennis Harris, senior vice president of customer experience at The GIANT Company, told the Official Pennsylvania Government Website. “We are proud to be a part of this transformative project with the GIANT Bleacher Garden, which will increase access to fresh, nutritious produce and connect families for a better future.”

Wolf has invested almost $60 million in 36 RACP projects in Dauphin County throughout his time in office. He created the Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Program in his Pennsylvania Farm Bill in 2019, knowing that urban agriculture is a huge part of nutritional security for people in Pennsylvania. The program is the first in the nation and is the model for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Urban Agriculture and Innovation Program, which has provided $1.5 million in state funds and generated $1.5 million in local investments, going toward more than 100 projects statewide. 

Frances Wolf applauded the projects and spoke about how vital they are to so many Pennsylvanians.

“Approximately 1.4 million people in Pennsylvania struggle with hunger, and greater disparities exists when we factor in race and geographic location,” Frances Wolf said, according to the Official Pennsylvania Government Website. “Projects like this challenge this unfortunate reality by investing in the health of people and the community around them. The GIANT Company and Empower at the Bridge understand that producing good food is essential, and creating access to that food is critical.”