The Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson Community Garden-Opening October 2008

[J The Kidd]

The G UNITY FOUNDATION in conjunction with Bette Midler's NEW YORK RESTORATION PROJECT
have scheduled the opening of the Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson community
garden at Baisley Park in Queens, NY for late October. In addition to
Mr. Jackson and Bette Midler, Mayor Bloomberg and other city officials
are expected to attend the grand opening. The garden was designed by
renowned landscape architect Walter Hood.



The G Unity Foundation granted well over $300,000 in order to create
the outdoor children's learning garden. The Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson
Community Garden is located at 117-19 165 Street.

This new outdoor children's learning garden will serve the Queens
neighborhood, which will greatly benefit from revitalized green space.
In conjunction with area schools, gardening can be used to teach
children a variety of subjects and to strengthen learning in science,
math, and language arts. Baisley Park is 15,000 square feet. The
neighborhood features only 5% of the recommended amount of outdoor/open
space, and there are over 52,000 children in the community who would be
benefit from this space.

Renowned entertainer Bette Midler founded the nonprofit New York
Restoration Project (NYRP) in 1995 with the belief that clean and green
neighborhoods are fundamental to the quality of life and that every
community in New York City deserves an oasis of natural beauty. Modeled
on the Central Park Conservancy and other successful public-private
partnerships, NYRP partners with individuals, community-based groups,
and public agencies to reclaim, restore, and develop under-resourced
parks, community gardens, and open space in New York City, primarily in
economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATED IMAGES
AND VIDEO OF THE GARDEN'S PROGRESS