AFLPA & Drew Brees Help School Keep on Growing

Sandwiched between downtown New Orleans and the city’s quaint Garden District sits a garden whose crops seem more suited for an Italian marketplace than an urban American schoolyard. But Samuel Green Charter School is not only a place for children to learn; it encourages students to harvest healthy snacks from their own gardens. Now, thanks to the Arena Football League Players Association and The Brees Dream Foundation, the school has yet another place to grow its produce and a pleasant spot to savor it.

Last Thursday, the AFLPA Executive Committee and staff, school officials, coaches and 40 community volunteers came together and dug knee-deep in the dirt to build a greenhouse and picnic area for the schoolyard.

“It is truly a privilege to come out and see the progress being made here,” said AFLPA Executive Committee member Ernest Allen, who was in town for the AFLPA Board of Player Representatives meeting and the ArenaBowl. “You really see the bigger picture out here in New Orleans. To help improve a community and assist them in bouncing back after the [Hurricane Katrina] devastation that happened three years ago is amazing.”

Better known as “The Edible School Yard,” Samuel J. Green teaches students about gardening and creating healthy lifestyles. At this culinary think-tank, kids from kindergarten to eighth grade learn about science and nutrition through the food they grow, harvest and eat. The school integrates organic gardening and fresh seasonal cooking into its curriculum, culture and food programs. Visitors to the garden will see rows upon rows of eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs.

“This is a replication of a flagship program in Berkeley,” said Donna Davato, a member of the school’s faculty. “This one is meaningful because it integrates organic and seasonal cooking into the curriculum of the school, but also has cultural ties. And that makes us a strong community.”

Davato said the volunteer effort by the AFLPA and The Brees Dream Foundation (which supports the school on an ongoing basis and introduced the AFLPA to the school), in addition to financial contributions made by both organizations, will allow the school to expand its program. “We’re so grateful for the contributions,” Davato said, “which enable us to continue to create a positive and beautiful environment for our students.”

Even a brief mid-afternoon rain didn’t even dampen the spirits of the volunteers and children who came out to make the greenhouse and picnic area dream come true. During the building, a festive and celebratory BBQ lunch was served for all participants. The lunch included food donated by Whole Foods Market and fresh salads made by the Samuel J. Green kids with vegetables picked from their own garden. The food was a hit, to organic and non-organic fans alike.

“The food is the best!” exclaimed Allen. “These sweet people and their community really deserve our best.”