Workers at RWJBarnabas Health's Newark (N.J.) Beth Israel Medical Center are working hard to prepare for the grand community opening of The Beth Greenhouse, a facility built adjacent to the hospital that will use traditional urban gardening to take population health to the next level.
Since 2011, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center has run The Beth Garden, an indoor farmer's market and outdoor farm. The hospital decided in 2015 to transform the garden into a greenhouse. After construction on the greenhouse was completed in January and planting completed in March, the greenhouse will officially open May 24.
Similar to other urban gardens, the greenhouse provides space to grow affordable vegetables, fruits and herbs. Unlike some gardens, however, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center will also use the greenhouse to host educational programs, to teach kids, parents and community members how to be healthier and stay well.
The Beth Greenhouse uses hydroponics to provide water and nutrients to plants year-round, increasing total food production of the garden from 5,000 to 10,000 pounds per year.
Through the greenhouse, the medical center will also provide job training and employment opportunities for community members who are disabled, ex-offenders or veterans.
The Beth Greenhouse is the latest addition to a comprehensive wellness and prevention program based out of RWJBarnabas Health's Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.