Healthy food options are few and far between for residents of the sprawling Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City.
But a new grant designed to help its fledgling community garden could help locals grow more fresh veggies in between the imposing public housing towers.
The garden is one of 16 environmentally friendly projects sharing $2 million as part of the Greening Western Queens Fund, which handed out its second year of grants on Thursday.
The fund was created in the aftermath of the 2006 blackout resulting from a settlement between Con Edison and community groups.
More than $8 million is being distributed to groups over a three-year period.
Robert Madison, director of senior services at the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement, said the garden will be able to expand from 330 square feet to 1,200 square feet because of a $20,000 grant.
“The seniors are already very serious about this garden,” said Madison. “We want to get younger people involved as well. As part of this we will have cooking lessons and help people know how to find healthier foods.”
City Growers received $45,000 to help youngsters and others learn about farming at the Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm in Long Island City.
Asian Americans for Equality received $80,000 to continue projects it started last year that included educating business owners about cooking oil recycling and energy conservation.
Recycle-A-Bicycle received a two-year $200,000 grant to boost the eco-friendly mode of transportation as well as train people about bicycle riding and maintenance.
“Riding bicycles is a fuel-free mode of active transportation and a very sustainable mode of transportation,” said Pasqualina Azzarello, who started the nonprofit group.
She also said training youngsters about bicycle maintenance opens up employment options.
Jim Ryan of Solar One said his group will use the grant to continue educational programs in local schools.
“The kids form energy squads in an effort to reduce electric bills,” he said.
He said schools they worked with last year reported a reduction of 3% to 13% in usage on their electric bills.
Other organizations, such as the City Parks Foundation, will focus on planting and maintaining trees — a key part of the greening plan.
“By next September and October there will be 22 new community gardens, school gardens and library gardens because of this work,” said Hugh Hogan, executive director of the North Star Fund, which helps allocate the grants to nonprofit groups. “Only 2% of this area is green open space.”
What the neighborhoods of Astoria, Long Island City, Woodside and Sunnyside do have plenty of is rooftop space.
Hogan said he would love to see those transformed into gardens and farms.
The threat of climate change has made finding new, creative ways to green urban centers more urgent than ever, Hogan said
“This is the future and every neighborhood has to start thinking about it,” he said.
