Groundbreaking For Health And Wellness Garden At CHOP Pediatric Center
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A garden for community engagement and nutritional programs is being planted in West Philadelphia.
A groundbreaking was held Thursday at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Karabots Pediatric Care Center.
Madeline Bell, president and CEO of CHOP, explains funds for the garden were donated by the credit union national association and the Pennsylvania credit union:
"And it's a tradition that the credit unions leave behind something special in a city that's hosting a presidential national convention."
The Democratic National convention takes place in Philadelphia this summer.
Linda Shnolis is a parent whose daughters' pediatrician works at CHOP. She says they serve an economically mixed population that would benefit from a garden:
"How is it that this child is ten years old, but has the body of a six year old because they're undernourished in Philadelphia?"
She says it's thrilling to have a $300,000 wellness garden on site to also teach kids about nutrition, but she says healthy food is about so much more than just sustenance:
"People bond, people learn, people nurture, people educate over food. If you cannot gather because you don't have the food, what are you gonna do? You're gonna be isolated."