Because she has a niece who eats a clean diet for health reasons, Jenny Reed knows the value of a tower garden – a vertical, aeroponic growing system which produces vegetables and fruit year-round without soil and without harmful pesticides and fertilizers.

 

There are likely many individuals who could benefit from such a growing system, including area school students, Reed thought. So, when her March 4 birthday started rolling around, she decided to host a virtual online birthday fundraiser – for the purpose of purchasing a tower garden for Bridgeport Middle School.

 

Reed’s Facebook friends supported the idea and more than $1,000 was quickly raised – enough to purchase Bridgeport Middle School’s first tower garden, complete with special lights and all the other “bells and whistles.”

 

“In fact, we raised more than $1,000, so we decided to try to raise enough money to buy two more – for Simpson and Johnson elementary schools,” she said.

 

Reed has opened the project up to the Bridgeport Junior Women’s Club, of which she is a member.

 

“It really went along with our focus for this year – which is the local Backpack Program, providing food to area school children in need,” Reed said.

 

Though some children and adults must eat organic fruits and vegetables due to special medical conditions, it’s also just a healthier way to eat, she said.

 

Reed is hoping to have the growing systems in place and producing crops before the end of the school year and continue the project for the 2018-19 school year. A date will be set to conclude the fundraiser and the tower gardens will be thereafter be ordered from Juice Plus. 

 

Members of the public can donate at the Facebook page: Tower Gardens for Bridgeport Elementary Schools or by contacting Reed at 304-629-1149 or at bridgeport@cardmyyard.com.