Mikaileigh Baker Works Toward Sustainable Communities

2015 Aug 13

Mikaileigh Baker, of Covington, Pa., has worked to plant, maintain, and harvest vegetables in the university's Bog Turtle Creek Farm in 2015. This sustainable garden initiative is designed to supply fresh produce to city families, particularly low-income families who need to use government programs to purchase food. Baker is a Communication major at Alvernia University and a graduate of Mansfield Junior-Senior High School.

The Bog Turtle Creek Farm is a student initiative organized by Alvernia's Holleran Center for Community Engagement. With the help of science faculty, students are spending warmer months planting, maintaining and harvesting a large vegetable garden on the university's property. The students sell these vegetables at the Penn Street Market, chosen because it is in the center or Reading and participates in a federal supplemental nutrition assistance program called SNAP. SNAP provides vouchers to eligible, low-income individuals and families to supplement their diets with locally grown produce.

ALVERNIA is a fast growing Franciscan university, grounded in the Catholic and liberal arts traditions, that combines diverse academic opportunities with personal attention and an unmatched commitment to community service. Situated on a scenic 121-acre suburban campus in historic Berks County, Pa., the university supports a rigorous and caring learning community that is home to more than 3,000 students.