NRG volunteers worked with the Crisis Ministry of Mercer County, Inc. (now Arm in Arm), and its project partner Isles, Inc., to prepare the Crisis Ministry’s new downtown Trenton community garden. Mark Smith, Crisis Ministry Hunger Prevention Director, said NRG’s day of volunteering “was a real turning point for the community garden. They left, and suddenly we had a garden.”
The garden is located at 119 E. Hanover St. on the site of a building that was demolished in August of 2010. The garden now yields fresh, heart-healthy produce such as tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and herbs for low-income families and individuals in Mercer County who experience food insecurity. It was funded by the Bonner Foundation, and our project partner Isles, Inc., provided expertise and volunteer connections, including NRG. Hlubik Farms and Pineland Nursery donated vegetables, herbs, and perennial plants. Artists from Trenton’s SAGE Coalition created a vibrant mural.