Stars Within Reach transforms vacant lot

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Weed-whacking a foot of grass and raking the remains were just the first steps to creating more aesthetically pleasing vacant lots along the 1600 block of Point Breeze Avenue.

More than 20 volunteers including a half dozen Walmart employees from two locations, 1675 S. Columbus Blvd., and the Boothwyn site, along with state Rep. Kenyatta Johnson, among others, gathered for five hours Saturday afternoon ready to work.

This community cleanup was Phase II of the nonprofit Stars Within Reach’s “A Healthy Future Within Reach” initiative to provide low-income households with healthier food options.

The campaign began a month ago to promote healthy eating habits and a change in overall lifestyle in children and adults alike, Nichole Badger, Stars’ founder and president, said.

“We want to help raise awareness about childhood obesity and its long-term health effects in lower-income areas,” she said.

In a joint partnership with the Mayor’s Office, local politicians and community activists and organizations, educational public service announcement videos featuring state Sen. Larry Farnese, U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah and Eagles’ tight end Cornelius Ingram and 76ers’ guard Lou Williams stressed the importance of staying active and eating healthy. Local adolescents explained their current eating habits and the reason for their inactive lifestyles while one talked about the struggles of diabetes.

“We are continuing the conversation about what is going on nationally,” Badger said about the childhood obesity epidemic. This phase, occurring throughout the summer and fall, will provide a solution to this crisis.”

Three vacant lots owned by the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center, 1717-21 Point Breeze Ave., will be transformed into fruit and vegetable gardens. The largest of the three spanning 404 square feet at 1622-1628 Point Breeze Ave. was the first focus. Plans also include turning the adjacent concrete lot into a playground while the smaller pieces of land will house additional vegetables and an orchid to complement what The Food Trust offers. The only fruit tree this neighborhood ever had was cut down six years ago, Alfred Brown, the center’s senior vice president said. The first seeds will be planted 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday during a community event with the hopes for a complete garden by the end of July.

But, without community support, this project wouldn’t have been possible. Keep Philadelphia Beautiful donated cleanup supplies and volunteers from the center and the Lycoming Community Reentry House, 1712-1718 Point Breeze Ave., will maintain the spaces following completion. In line with this program, Walmart also recently launched a major health initiative to provide customers with more wholesome options by 2015. With this in mind, they have agreed to match contributions up to $40,000 for this project.

Tyesha Barnes, a mother of four and an employee at Walmart, 1675 S. Columbus Blvd., envisions this as the perfect space for children to spread their wings and become educated about making informed choices.

“We came out and volunteered to help cleanup for the community and give back so the kids can have a place to play,” Barnes, a resident of 27th and Dickinson streets, said.

Fellow employee, Jim Minacci, agrees.

“It’s like a diamond in the rough. There’s a lot of potential here,” he said of the space.

The esident from Swanson and Christian streets hopes the multi-layered message will be effective.

“If you get people to take care of things, it will grow and be fruitful,” the 49-year-old said.

Stars Within Reach initially began as part of Nichole and Paul Badger’s wedding plans in 2008. Instead of receiving traditional wedding gifts, the entertainment lawyer and real estate developer, respectively, decided to make a difference in the community at large.

“It all started as an effort to give back on our wedding day,” Badger said.

The couple is dedicated to increasing awareness around several issues while organizing larger projects each year.

“This event is the largest effort we’ve done so far,” the Blue Bell resident said.

The community need for this garden is vital, Badger said. More than two dozen Chinese food restaurants, two food stores and the non-existence of a high quality supermarket in the immediate area are all causes for concern.

Brown hopes young people will understand the quality of food this project will make readily available.

“Unfortunately, our community is inundated with places that don’t provide nutritious meals and cooking doesn’t happen in the home anymore,” the resident of 18th and Moore streets said.

Healthy alternatives aren’t the only issue, but a lack of physical activity with the influx of modern technology also has added to the problem.

“I would like to see more children outside playing dodgeball, hopscotch and jump rope and not inside playing Nintendo,” Johnson, who did his share of weed-whacking that afternoon, said.

Improving overall lifestyle while helping residents make informed decisions are at the forefront of this campaign.

“Bad eating habits are related to what goes on in the home,” Brown, 67, said. “They go to what they know they like, what’s accessible and what’s affordable.”

The Stars Within Reach videos include testimonials from children describing their weekly consumption of fast food and using technology as a favorite past time. Johnson agrees it starts with parents, who need to be educated on healthy options while children need to learn about such initiatives.

“I believe when people know better, they’ll do better,” he said.

Encouraging youngsters to become more involved in their neighborhoods and respectful of their own property aids in the community’s growth.

“One of the things we must do is involve young people on the front end because then they take ownership, which is beneficial in several ways. They won’t let anyone else mess it up, they are going to want to eat what they grow and they will take pride in the process,” Jordan Harris, executive director of the city’s Youth Commission, said. “The goal is that it will spawn a change in lifestyle that’s important for the growth and long-term commitment to a project like this.”

Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.

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