Green Bronx Machine Partners with Danone North America to Present First Ever Food for Good Community Event

Newswise — BRONX, NY, December 9, 2021 – Green Bronx Machine is partnering with Danone North America to present the first ever Food for Good Community Event at Community School 55 in Claremont Village, Bronx, NY. This event will provide free Danone North America products, complete with locally submitted, culturally relevant recipes and on-site assistance to facilitate electronic sign-up for SNAP, WIC and EBT benefits, and access to community partners. This event is open to all residents and community members and will also provide all participants with a resource guide created in partnership with NYC Food Policy Center.

Stephen Ritz, acclaimed teacher, founder of Green Bronx Machine, and author of The Power Of A Plant: A Teacher’s Odyssey to Grow Healthy Minds and Schools, said, ”We could not be more excited to have Danone North America on board as our first food and beverage partner. Access to both organic and plant-based foods is critical for communities likes ours and we are thankful to Danone North America for providing ongoing access to them along with the education and support critical to integrating them into our daily lives. This is not a hand-out but rather a handshake and a meaningful opportunity to grow a long-term relationship where it is needed most. I could not be more excited to share healthy food and access opportunities with our students, teachers, parents, and community at large. This is the exact type of partnership that aligns to our vision for food access, food justice, health, wellness, and nutrition and I’m proud that Green Bronx Machine and Danone North America are leading the way and setting the bar: from the Bronx, to the world!”

“We are thrilled to be working alongside Green Bronx Machine,” said Terrance Irizarry, chief diversity officer for Danone North America. “Our partnership represents our commitment as a business to create a positive impact in our local communities. We’re excited to launch this project and see how our relationship takes shape in the future.”

Charles Platkin, PhD, MPH, Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center Executive Director states: “Green Bronx Machine’s commitment to the health and education of NYC residents is known to all of us in the food justice space. We were delighted to support this project with our resources and knowledge base to help GBM create a user-friendly guide that ensures that every resident can understand, access, and obtain the benefits and services they are entitled to. This hyper-local model meets the community precisely where it is at with the goal of providing access and equity for all. It allows folks to get the services and support they need from already existing and under-utilized resources and puts schools and public education at the heart of our communities – win-win-win. The Food for Good Community Access Event is a recipe for simultaneous access and success.”

In the last year alone, GBM and Ritz have distributed more than 130,000 pounds of food, produced 5,000-plus pounds of produce grown locally in the Bronx, built and stocked three new food pantries, delivered weekly 152 backpacks of food to students and fulfilled more than 1,600 emergency food requests from families in need. GBM and Ritz recently won the 2021 Social Innovation Award, were named 2021 Food Hero by TMZ Live , and were awarded the 2021 Artemis CEA Disruptor Award for impact and advocacy in public schools across America. Ritz was recently called to testify for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ending Hunger in America. To date, Ritz and GBM also have trained nearly 1,500 teachers using GBM’s curriculum, impacting more than 50,000 students in the Bronx, across America and around the world (https://greenbronxmachine.org/2020-impact-report/).

About Danone North America

Danone North America is a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. As a Certified B Corporation®, Danone North America is committed to the creation of both economic and social value, while nurturing natural ecosystems through sustainable agriculture. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia®, DanActive®, Danimals®, Dannon®, evian®, Happy Family® Organics, Honest to Goodness®, Horizon® Organic, International Delight®, Light + Fit®, Oikos®, Silk®, So Delicious® Dairy Free, STōK™, Two Good®, Wallaby® Organic and YoCrunch®. With more than 6,000 employees and 16 production locations across the U.S. and Canada, Danone North America’s mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible. For more information, visit www.danonenorthamerica.com/. For more information on Danone North America’s B Corp™ status, visit: https://bcorporation.net/directory/danone-north-america.

Green Bronx Machine Named 2021 Classy Award Winner

Newswise — BRONX, DECEMBER 8, 2021 –  In recognition of its impact on urban agriculture, education, food insecurity and access to healthy foods, Green Bronx Machine has been honored with a 2021 Classy Award for Social Innovation.

Watch Classy’s video capturing GBM’s achievements:

“Green Bronx Machine works tirelessly day in and day out to address these important issues in its communities around the country.  For us, the goal is always about growing healthy students, healthy schools, and happy and healthy communities; to inspire healthy living and learning, all around the world,” said Stephen Ritz, Founder, Green Bronx Machine. “From the Bronx, to the world, we are honored and humbled to have the Classy Awards recognize and shine a spotlight on our efforts.”

One of the largest awards ceremonies of its kind, recognizing excellence in social innovation, the Classy Awards identifies and evaluates organizations addressing hundreds of social problems around the world. The winners are determined by the Classy Awards Leadership Council, an honorary board of leaders and experts whose unique perspective and valuable insight establish this recognition as one of the highest honors in the social sector.

Green Bronx Machine was one of 10 organizations selected from over 1,400 nominations across the country to be named 2021 winners, including Blood:Water, Brookview House, Inc., Fair Labor Association, Food Forward, Hope for Haiti, mothers2mothers, Shelterbox USA, The Trevor Project and Treehouse.  

“The Classy Awards began in 2009 to shine a spotlight on outstanding programs run by social impact organizations around the world,” says Pat Walsh, Classy co-founder. “Each and every day we are humbled by the hard work and tenacity of our nonprofit customers, and the Classy Awards serve as our way to honor the sector we serve. Congratulations to this prestigious group of 2021 Classy Award Winners who are embracing new ideas and solving today’s toughest challenges.”

About Classy

Classy is a B Corp Certified Public Benefit Corporation and giving experience platform that enables nonprofits to connect supporters with the causes they care about. Based in San Diego, CA and trusted by thousands of nonprofits, from the fastest-growing nonprofits to some of the world’s largest social organizations, Classy’s platform provides the formats and flexibility to activate donors when and how they need to by creating more relevant connections to their causes. Since 2011, Classy has helped nonprofits mobilize and empower the world for good by helping them raise over $3 billion on its platform. Classy also hosts the Collaborative conference and the Classy Awards to spotlight the innovative work nonprofits are implementing around the globe. For more information, visit www.classy.org.

In Powerful Testimony to U.S. Congress, Green Bronx Machine’s Stephen Ritz Calls for an End to Hunger in American Schools

Newswise — BRONX, NY, Tuesday, September 15, 2021 – In powerful testimony to members of the United States Congress today, Stephen Ritz, acclaimed teacher, founder of Green Bronx Machine and best-selling author of The Power of a Plant: A Teacher’s Odyssey to Grow Healthy Minds and Schools, made the case for public schools’ role in ending hunger and improving health and nutrition in America. 

Ritz was invited by U.S. Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, to testify before Congress as part of its Ending Hunger in America initiative.  Launched earlier this year, Ending Hunger in America features a series of events, including hearings, roundtables and site visits to highlight the reality of hunger in America and steps Congress and the Biden Administration could take to equitably combat it.

Ritz testimony can be viewed on YouTube:

Ritz’s full testimony was entered in the Congressional Record. 

Green Bronx Machine’s Stephen Ritz to Testify Before the U.S. Congress About Ending Hunger in America

Newswise — BRONX, NY, Tuesday, September 14, 2021 – Stephen Ritz, acclaimed teacher, founder of Green Bronx Machine and best-selling author of The Power of a Plant: A Teacher’s Odyssey to Grow Healthy Minds and Schools, has been invited by United States Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, to testify before Congress on the role of schools in ending hunger and improving nutrition. 

Ritz will testify on Wednesday, September 15 at 11:00 a.m.  His testimony can be viewed live at:

“On behalf of everyone at Green Bronx Machine, I’m humbled to be given the opportunity to address our nation’s leadership on an issue that is at the top of my agenda.  The greatest lever America has for equity and ending poverty are successful public schools.  And, the most important school supply in the world is food. Communities like mine across our great nation are not only under-resourced, but are also over-extracted,” said Ritz.  “Our children are the canaries and our schools are the coal mines.  Children will never be well read if they are not well fed.  Children can’t learn if they are hungry.  At Green Bronx Machine, we grow vegetables, our vegetables grow students, our students grow schools and our schools grow happy, healthy, resilient communities.  Every school in America needs to do this.”

Chairman McGovern, who also serves as co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, launched an anti-hunger initiative earlier this year out of the House Rules Committee called Ending Hunger in America.  It features a series of events, including hearings, roundtables and site visits to highlight the reality of hunger in America and steps Congress and the Biden Administration could take to equitably combat it.

On a visit to Green Bronx Machine in June, Chairman McGovern said, “As the Rules Committee crafts a plan to end hunger in America, I want to see the important work being done on the ground in communities across the country. The Green Bronx Machine is using innovative programs to invest in students and build stronger communities. Seeing their success firsthand will be invaluable as we build a roadmap for equitably ending food insecurity in this country and continue pushing for a White House hunger conference.”

In the last year alone, GBM and Ritz have distributed more than 130,000 pounds of food, produced 5,000-plus pounds of produce grown locally in the Bronx, built and stocked three new food pantries, delivered weekly 152 backpacks of food to students and fulfilled more than 1,600 emergency food requests from families in need.  In the process, they have moved school attendance from 40 percent to 93 percent daily and helped provide 2,200 youth jobs in the Bronx.  Ritz and GBM also have trained nearly 1,500 teachers using GBM’s curriculum, impacting more than 50,000 students in the Bronx, across America and around the world (https://greenbronxmachine.org/2020-impact-report/).

In News12 The Bronx Blog, Green Bronx Machine’s Stephen Ritz Weighs in on Back-to-School

Newswise — BRONX, NY, September 8, 2021 – As New York City public schools prepare to welcome back students next week, Green Bronx Machine founder, urban farmer and educator Stephen Ritz recently shared his thoughts about the return to the classroom in these unprecedented times in a new blog published on New 12 The Bronx’s web site. 

In the piece titled “A View from the Teacher’s Desk,” Ritz calls for a reimagining of our schools, “abandoning an idea of a return to normal.”  Instead, he advocates “aiming beyond just surviving to inclusively thriving” and using U.S. Congressman Jamaal Bowman’s Green New Deal for Public Schools as the roadmap to “better schools, better communities, better infrastructure and better opportunities” for all students.

A View from the Teacher’s Desk
By Stephen Ritz

After more than 18 very long months stuck inside our houses tethered to our screens, is there anyone who isn’t excited about going back to school? As a lifelong educator, I’m ready to jump over my desk and dance with my students. I’m ready to high five my families, kiss the custodians, hug the homeroom teachers, and fist bump the food service professionals.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve heard the refrain “build back better.” It’s time to abandon an idea of a “return to normal.” Instead, we need to aim beyond “just surviving” to inclusively thriving. The question is: Are we ready to do the work?

We’ve known the problems forever. COVID just made them far more profound. COVID was, and still is, universal: we all feel it, we are all living it – some more than others. But nobody can deny that the collective lived experience is universal. For students, it’s tough to even think about schoolwork or homework when they’re worried about having food to eat or who around them is going to die next.

One of the first places trauma manifests is school: children are the canaries, and our schools are the coal mines. Every societal issue from home life to health explodes in schools. The upside: schools are also the most fertile ground for regenerative change and both community and personal transformation. U.S. public schools have been under scrutiny for decades, yet they remain the single greatest lever this nation has to achieve equity and end poverty for all. Now is the time for students to view the world through the lens of possibilities and to live in solutions, not the triage ward.

U.S. Congressman Jamaal Bowman is championing the Green New Deal for Public Schools– an idea long overdue as long underserved schools crumble, corrode, and collapse around us. The goal of this bold legislation is to invest $1.43 trillion over 10 years in our nation’s public schools and infrastructure to combat climate change.

In the Bronx, where I’ve lived and worked for decades, schools are the most vital organs, the epicenters, the very lifeblood of our communities. Everyone respects schools as sacred spaces. We now need to treat them as such. Every child deserves clean air, drinkable water, natural light, healthy food, and a school in which they can dream of and work towards a better, brighter future.

It’s time we begin unpacking the decades of neglect. Separate and unequal is no longer acceptable. Windows that don’t open, toilets that don’t flush, food that is neither healthy nor nutritious – these are relics of the past. It’s time to relegate them the scrap heap.

How many generations of students must we lose to these ills and injustices? We have a chance and a choice to reclaim this generation of students and make sure we never lose another child to poverty and despair. It’s time to do the hard work. Let compassion be our new curriculum and collective empathy be our new North Star.

The mandate is simple: education not asphyxiation. It’s time to breathe life into all that we do. Imagine teachers NOT having to spend their time advocating for drinkable water, mold-free hallways, operable windows, clean air, and temperate classrooms. For our students to be well-fed by the time we all walk into class together, every morning. Instead, we teachers could focus on what’s actually important: inspiring America’s students and teaching the next generation to take on the challenges we face. We would be living in the solution.

A lifelong educator and highly effective and successful middle school principal, Representative Bowman knows from whence he speaks. So, too, our First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, who understands the power and promise of public education, of workforce development, of polytechnical training. President Joe Biden’s agenda thinks beyond the next barrel of oil, the next truckful of coal, and next quarterly earnings statement. He champions investing in the American people, especially children, to end poverty and revive the middle class. Let us remember that promise, let us embrace that purpose.

Better schools, better communities, better infrastructure, better opportunities. That’s what people are waiting for when schools open. It all starts with students equipped to envision and enable the future. High performing schools change everything for everyone. Rather than survive, we will thrive.

Beyond engagement, let’s move towards fulfillment. The eyes of the future are looking back at us and demanding that we get it right. This is our collective moment. If we don’t evolve, we are all doomed to fail.

Will we be bold enough?

It’s time to treasure our children, treasure our teachers, and treasure our collective and inclusive potential. It’s time to embrace our better nature. With dreams begin responsibilities.

Let’s not waste this moment.

NEW RECIPE! Fabulous Fatoush Salad!

We’re thrilled to share our third episode of Tower to Table to Tummy children’s cooking show!

Nothing tastes better than our child-tested, child-approved, and parent-friendly GBM Fabulous Fatoush Salad. Join El Capitan for this 10 minute, action-packed episode that will leave your mouth watering and bellies full! Even the pickiest of eaters will love this nutrient-dense, crispy, crunchy, salad with ingredients harvested right off our Tower Garden! Throw in a lesson about fractions and parts to whole and even parents will even enjoy this innovative, Middle-Eastern-inspired episode.

For those who missed it, last week, El Capitan was named Bronx’s COVID-19 Food Hero by TMZ Live!

In a riveting interview straight from our classroom with Charles Latibeaudiere – a Bronx native – and Harvey Levin, El Capitan made one thing abundantly clear: “THE BRONX IS HOME TO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS AND PEOPLE!”

El Capitan was happy to dish veggies, not scandal and talk garden, not gossip and wow, what an interview it was!

Kudos to TMZ for highlighting what is possible! We need more news and stories like ours.

Stephen Ritz and Stepping Stones, Inc. Cut Ribbon on First Tiny Home for West Virginia Foster Youth

Newswise — LAVALETTE, WV, August 30, 2021 – Stepping Stones, Inc., the revolutionary foster care facility in the heart of Appalachia, reached a major milestone in its Youth Transition Project (YTP) when it officially opened its first tiny home and welcomed its first resident on Friday.  Longtime supporter and urban farmer Stephen Ritz, a life-long educator, author of “The Power of a Plant” and founder of New York-based Green Bronx Machine, was on hand to celebrate and cut the ribbon on this first of eight tiny homes that are fully funded and under construction.

YTP is a public-private partnership focused on youth ages 16-23 transitioning from foster care or experiencing homelessness. The project’s centerpiece is a tiny-home village, offering comprehensive life skills, employment training, education and well-being supports provided by the broader community.  Its goal is to support disconnected West Virginia youth as they transition into adulthood so they may reach their full potential and become productive, contributing citizens.

According to Corey, the first resident, “I have never been gifted with such a thing. And it truly honors me to be the first in the tiny home program in Stepping Stones. I look forward to a new challenge.”

Corey’s new home — and those soon to come — are the result of a large, caring community of supporters, funders and volunteers, including Cabell Huntington Hospital, Toyota Motor Manufacturing WV, Wayne High School CTE Engineering Class, Tolsia High School CTE Class, Truist Bank, Bernard McDonough Foundation, Braskem America Neal Plant and interior designers Pam and Tammy Watts, among others. 

“This is an exciting day for all of us at Stepping Stones.  Our heartfelt thanks go out to our many partners for getting us here.  Their generosity of funds, time and expertise enables us to serve West Virginia’s most vulnerable young people and provide them with the tools and skills they need as they begin their life’s journey, empowering them on that journey,” said Susan Fry, executive director,

Stepping Stones.  “A very special thank you to Green Bronx Machine and its founder Stephen Ritz for helping us early on to get our commercial greenhouse, the lynchpin of our village, up and running.” 

Ritz and Green Bronx Machine have been working with Stepping Stones since 2018 on its Growing Hope initiative – a commercial greenhouse with 20 aeroponic Tower Gardens on property.  Using GBM’s propriety curriculum, Stepping Stones youth are trained to manage the greenhouse, growing their own food and donating excess to local communities in need. 

“This farm is the first commercial greenhouse in America run by foster care youth. It represents a highly replicable model and is an exemplar in horticultural therapy and whole child engagement as well as poly-technical training,” said Ritz.  “I always say my favorite crops are people. I am thrilled to see  Stepping Stones’ incredible young people continue to thrive and grow.”

About Stepping Stones, Inc.

Established in 1975, Stepping Stones, Inc. is a fully-licensed child welfare and behavioral health provider with over 46 years’ experience working with West Virginia’s troubled and troubling youth and their families. The therapeutic milieu is family-centered and youth-focused and provides youth with an opportunity to enhance cognitive competence, internalize coping skills and develop an “I Can” attitude. Through restructuring, reeducation and reintegration, Stepping Stones seeks to strengthen the youth’s relationship with family and community. The Program firmly believes that discovering and uncovering the connectedness of the youth and his family with the community is paramount in treatment delivery.  For more information, visit https://steppingstonesinc.org.

NEW RECIPE! Tower to Table to Tummy Returns! Delicioso!

We’re thrilled to share our second episode of Tower to Table to Tummy children’s cooking show and nothing tastes better during the hot, humid, summer months than our child-tested, child-approved, and parent-friendly GBM BLOWOUT BASIL CITRUS SALAD. Join El Capitan for this 6-minute episode that will leave your mouth watering and bellies full! Even the pickiest of eaters will love this nutrient-dense salad!

In case you missed Episode 1, watch Mouth-watering Watermelon Arugula Salad

Major League News & Major Leaf Growth

In the words of famous Yankee broadcaster Phil Rizzuto, “Holy cow!” June 30th was Green Bronx Machine Day at Yankee Stadium! We were honored to be seated in the Judge’s Chambers, highlighted on the world-famous Yankees scoreboard, and featured in a viral Yankees tweet. See for yourself:


From Major League to major leaf – our Food For Others Garden is just bursting with good food: tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, collards, cucumbers, and basil. It’s a feast for the senses! This year we’ve had more volunteers than ever, and we’re grateful for everyone’s participation. We’re already harvesting and delivering food across the borough.

Speaking of harvest, we are so proud to launch the new series, “Tower to Table to Tummy” filmed LIVE in our classroom with produce grown right on our Tower Garden. All the episodes are child-friendly, require no stove, and are perfect for school programs or family activities. Check out our first episode, featuring a Mouth-Watering Watermelon Arugula Salad:

We’re proud to have an international cohort of interns this summer, and our summer employee, Jily – a graduate of our program – who’s gearing up for high school and earned her first paycheck ever!

We’ll be working all the way through the summer making sure that students are well-read and well-fed to get ready to open school, after-school, and programming safely when students return in September. Your support is most crucial at this time of year, as students need uniforms and school supplies in preparation for class. THIS YEAR WE ANTICIPATE OUR GREATEST NEED EVER!

Please consider making a donation today – our students thank you!

DONATE NOW

UAE’s “Green Sheikh” Visits Green Bronx Machine, Gotham Greens and CS55

Newswise — BRONX, NY, July 22, 2021 – Green Bronx Machine founder Stephen Ritz and his students welcomed yesterday His Royal Highness Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi, to their classroom at the National Health and Wellness Learning Center (NHWLC) at CS 55 in the Bronx.

A member of the ruling family of Ajman of the United Arab Emirates and an environmental adviser to the Ajman Government, HRH is a globally acclaimed humanitarian and philanthropist whose work focuses on mindfulness, well-being, spirituality, sustainability and nutrition, particularly in children and those living in marginalized communities. 

During the visit, HRH, known as the “Green Sheikh,” and Ritz, often called “America’s Favorite Teacher,” had a chance to catch up on all things ag education-related and see what GBM students are growing and learning during the Summer Rising school program that is currently in session.  In fact, GBM’s students hosted a luncheon for HRH, preparing and serving him a vegan meal made from vegetables grown by them right in their NHWLC classroom.  Prior to arriving at CS 55, Ritz accompanied HRH on a tour of Brooklyn-based Gotham Greens, a longtime GBM supporter and partner. Gotham Greens, a pioneer in sustainable indoor farming with the largest network for hydroponic greenhouses in North America, brings a fresh perspective to how businesses can operate with a triple bottom line.

“The power of friendship between the UAE and USA started many years ago via multiple platforms.  Events like these help that friendship to continue to blossom and grow. Today, we all come together for sustainability, stewardship and the best interests of all children. Today, we celebrate education and possibilities,” said His Royal Highness Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi.  “After many years of working together overseas, to be able to visit my dear friend, Stephen Ritz, and see the work of Green Bronx Machine personally, in his home country and home community is beyond exciting. To see this classroom and to visit Gotham Greens is to truly understand what is possible when people work together with innovation and dedication to change lives. This is what community looks like. This visit helps to share our work, our commitment, and our shared vision for the future and the planet for everyone to see – all around the world. I want to thank the NYC Department of Education, the residents of the Bronx, Stephen’s family, colleagues, and the community at Community School 55 and the staff at Gotham Greens for their gracious hospitality. I look forward to continuing our sharing, our learning, and our working together.” 

Longtime sustainability allies, the two green leaders met years ago in UAE via government officials with The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) of Dubai.  KHDA is responsible for the growth and quality of private education in Dubai.  The two quickly became friends, sharing their passion for impact work, philanthropy, sustainability, education, and wellness initiatives. 

Stephen continues to work in UAE with ESOL Education.  Based on the model of Green Bronx Machine’s National Health, Wellness and Learning Center, ESOL launched the International Health, Wellness and Learning Center at Fairgreen International School located in the heart of Dubai’s The Sustainable City – the first net positive city in the world.  Fairgreen International School is considered a Top Twenty School in the UAE and is known for innovation globally. 

“It has been an honor hosting His Royal Highness Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi, our dear friend, colleague and fellow believer in the power of the plant to grow successful people, communities and economies,” said Ritz.  “We look forward to our continued work with HRH.  We are always ready to bring the Bronx to the world and make epic happen for millions more across the globe.” 

Over the coming months, HRH and Ritz will embark on a series of joint projects including a series of books for young people about bringing the farm to the desert, as well as building farms throughout the UAE to address food insecurity, agricultural innovation, workforce development and overall health and wellness. 

“We built our first greenhouse in New York City in 2011 with the mission to reimagine how and where fresh food is grown,” said Viraj Puri, Co-Founder and CEO of Gotham Greens. “His Highness, Green Bronx Machine and Gotham Greens all share a passion for environmental advocacy and building a more sustainable future for our planet and for people around the world. We believe business can be a force for good, so we plant roots in the neighborhoods surrounding our greenhouses through long-standing partnerships with community groups and non-profit organizations like Green Bronx Machine, bringing nutritious, local food and STEM education to cities across America. We know that the impact from these programs extends beyond the borders of our neighborhoods and are proud to share learnings from our experience over the past decade.”

No “Vacation” for Green Bronx Machine This Summer

Work Continues on Food Insecurity, Return to School, Learning Loss, Nonverbal Communications and Urban Farming

Newswise — BRONX, NY, JULY 16, 2021 – For Green Bronx Machine, summer vacation is growing season – for plants, people and the organization itself.   GBM spends June, July and August tending multiple community gardens and running asummer camp, as well as tackling food insecurity and promoting sustainable food systems with national and international leaders, and preparing for the return of in-person student learning this fall and all of the issues that will entail. 

By all accounts, this is one of GBM’s busiest summers yet as it:

  • Hosts Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi, member of the Ajman Royal Family and the official environmental adviser to the Ajman Government, at CS 55 to see GBM in action.
  • Highlights the role of teachers in changing the narrative of possibility in lower socio-economic areas on the Grateful Living Podcast. Listen here.
  • Partners with EXPLR Media to bring a 10-minute version of Let’s Learn with Mister Ritz to its ad-free, subscription streaming service that provides relevant, relatable and real-world content that empowers young people to become global change agents.
  • Awaits arrival of a BBC film crew at CS 55 for inclusion in a documentary to be released in 2022.
  • Harvests and distributes tremendous amounts of produce from the Food for Others garden throughout the Bronx.

Green Bronx Machine Names Three Powerhouse Players to Its National Board of Directors

Leaders from Google, GreenBiz, and NewYork-Presbyterian will Help Award-Winning NGO Scale Up Education Programs Across the Country and Around the World

Newswise — BRONX, NY – June 21, 2021 – Linda Femling, Director of Food Programs at Google in the Americas, Ana Cristina Garcia, Director of Government and Community Affairs at NewYork-Presbyterian, and Joel Makower, Chairman and Executive Editor of GreenBiz Group Inc., have been named the newest board members of Green Bronx Machine (GBM), the innovative national education nonprofit that effectively uses urban agriculture to transform teaching, learning and workforce development to boost student academic, health and career outcomes in underserved communities.

These three leaders in health and food/nutrition, public policy, clean tech and sustainability will support Green Bronx Machine to continue realizing its mission of building healthy, equitable and resilient communities through inspired education, local food systems and 21st century workforcedevelopment.  They also will bring their expertise to bear on helping it substantially scale up and expand its programmatic, administrative and operational work across the U.S. and around the world.

“Everyone at Green Bronx Machine – the staff, leadership and our current board members – along with our partners and school districts across America – are so pleased to welcome Ana, Linda and Joel to our team.  Nationally and globally, folks appreciate who they are and what they bring to our organization.  Their combined expertise represents decades of best-in-class accomplishments and impact,” said GBM founder and acclaimed educator Stephen Ritz.  “In just 10 short years, Green Bronx Machine has grown from a Bronx-based program to serving more than 500 schools around the world and become a workforce development leader and a multi-media education producer.  Our low-cost, replicable model is now an educational and outcome-oriented exemplar.  These three experts-in-their-fields will help us chart our strategic course as we navigate our expansion in these and other areas over the next decade and beyond — from the Bronx to the world!”

Green Bronx Machine is headquartered at the National Health, Wellness and Learning Center at Community School 55 in the South Bronx, both led by Ritz who founded the first edible classroom in the world.  Today, GBM’s exemplary, proprietary whole-school curriculum designed around urban agriculture is aligned to key school performance indicators that grow healthy students and schools.  It engages more than 50,000 students daily in over 20 states, across Canada among six First Nation Tribes, and throughout MENA including The United Arab Emirates and Qatar.  GBM’s curriculum and materials are recognized globally and now available in multiple languages.

Dedicated to whole school pedagogy and professional development aligned to data-driven, school performance and social determinants of health, GBM was named a Top 10 Health and Wellness Program in America by the Harkin Institute, a Top 100 Educational Innovation in the World by HundrED for three consecutive years, a 2020 Gamechanger by NYC Food Policy Center and a 2020 Top 100 Global Showcase School and Program by World Education Week for response to COVID.  Most recently, Ritz was awarded the 2021 CEA (Controlled Environmental Agriculture) Disruptor Award by Artemis.  Beyond whole-school and community programming, GBM also debuted the first wheelchair accessible commercial farm/training kitchen for special needs children and the first commercial greenhouse farm run by foster care children in America.

About Linda Femling

Linda is the Director of Food Programs at Google, responsible for services in the Americas. As a leader in the food business and with over 13 years at Google, Linda’s expertise in strategic initiatives and operations has helped advance food programming and educational efforts. Sustainability is at the core of these efforts with plant forward as well as waste and plastic reduction all passions of hers.  In addition, Linda is a community volunteer and also a certified business coach committed to helping young women enter and grow their careers in the business world.  A proud Mom of three grown daughters, Linda spends most of her free time biking, skiing and exploring the mountains with her dogs Mogul and Moose.

“I am thrilled to help lean into the work created by this amazing organization. Green Bronx Machine has created an innovative, inclusive program and support system that will positively change lives for generations to come,” said Femling.  

About Ana Cristina Garcia

Ana Cristina Garcia is Director of Government and Community Affairs at New York-Presbyterian.  An expert in community health improvement, her work has included policy research and advocacy on health reform and health disparities; coalition development to address obesity prevention, emergency preparedness, healthy aging, and AI/AN child health; and performance improvement and management for clinicians and public health practitioners. She has worked for public and private sector organizations, including the New York Academy of Medicine, the Vermont Department of Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Access Community Health Network, and the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees.  Ana is a proud Cuban-American, New Yorker, and mom.

“I met Stephen years ago when at the New York Academy of Medicine, we made a call for innovative obesity and healthy living interventions. Stephen blew us away with his proposal describing using hydroponic gardening in his classroom in the Bronx,” said Garcia.  “I recently started a new project supporting community development in the Bronx and reached out to Stephen because I knew the effort would benefit from his input. I’m so glad he took this recent exchange to invite me to join the board. The Bronx needs people like Stephen and groups like Green Bronx Machine to thrive.  Nationally, more than ever, our schools need to be leveraged as centers of health-promotion and life-changing learning.  I’d like to be part of helping Green Bronx Machine show the nation how the classroom environment can empower children to lead healthier lives.”

About Joel Makower

Joel is Chairman and Executive Editor of GreenBiz Group Inc., creator of GreenBiz.com as well as research reports and events on the corporate sustainability strategy and trends.  He hoststhe annual GreenBiz, GreenFin, Circularity and VERGE conferences, and is principal author of the annual State of Green Business report.  For 30 years, Joel has been a well-respected voice on business, sustainability, and innovation.  As an award-winning writer, speaker, and strategist on corporate sustainability practices and clean technology, he has helped both large and small companies align sustainability and clean technology with business success.  A former nationally syndicated columnist, Joel is author of more than a dozen books.  Along with Mark Mykleby and Patrick Doherty, Joel is co-author of The New Grand Strategy: Restoring America’s Prosperity, Security and Sustainability in the 21st Century (St. Martin’s Press, 2016), about a business and investment strategy for America, born at the Pentagon, that embeds sustainability as a national strategic imperative.

“Green Bronx Machine represents the best of the sustainability movement: courage, commitment, collaboration and creativity in addressing some of America’s and the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges,” said Makower.  “I’ve watched the organization’s influence and impact grow over the past decade and am pleased to join the board to help accelerate that progress.”

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