Hershey Community Garden Feeds and Nourishes Community

Despite heat, humidity and a great deal of rain, the fruits and vegetables at the Hershey Community Garden are in abundance this summer. The success of the garden means more than gardeners’ pride; much of this produce is donated to local food banks and charities throughout the community.

Established in the spring of 2014 on the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center campus, the Hershey Community Garden was founded and built by Hershey Impact. This group, which is comprised of The Hershey Company, Milton Hershey School, Penn State Health, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R) and The M.S. Hershey Foundation, created the garden with the intent of serving the surrounding area. The garden serves multiple purposes in the Hershey community including specific sections devoted to philanthropic giving. Here’s a break-down of those charitable plots by the numbers:

225total number of plots in the garden.

17plots dedicated exclusively to donating charitable purposes. Groups with charitable plots include Hershey Entertainment & Resorts and The Hershey Company, Cocoa Packs, Penn State Health and the Hershey ALS Support Group. Among the 17 plots, there are two dedicated to growing flowers exclusively for donations throughout the community.

6 approximate number of organizations that receive donations from the community garden.

10+volunteers delivering produce to philanthropic organizations throughout the Hershey community.

1100+pounds of produce have been donated to date to philanthropic causes in 2018 alone.

70+volunteer hours to date by HE&R employees in 2018.

For more information on The Hershey Community Garden, visit the website and follow the Facebook page.