SCO Family of Services and Garden of Dreams Foundation Celebrate Early Childhood Center Gardening Initiative with Ribbon Cutting

East Elmhurst, NY – SCO Family of Services and the Garden of Dreams Foundation hosted a special ribbon cutting to unveil the new garden at SCO’s Jerome Hardeman Early Childhood Education Center in East Elmhurst, Queens. Students, teachers, and SCO staff were on hand as well as representatives from the Garden of Dreams Foundation, including New York Rangers legend Adam Graves and MSG Networks host Michelle Gingras, to celebrate. Honored guests included State Senator Jessica Ramos and representatives from the offices of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. and Councilman Francisco Moya. Students created a paper linked chain as the ceremonial ribbon. Guests were given a student-led tour of the garden and center following the ceremony.

The new garden transformed an unused outdoor area into a green space to benefit the children who attend the center and enhance the community. This project is part of a larger educational gardening initiative at SCO’s five early childhood centers in Brooklyn and Queens funded by the Garden of Dreams Foundation.

“We are excited to unveil this wonderful new garden that will enhance our building and community and give our children hands-on experience planting and cultivating it,” remarked SCO Family of Services President and CEO Suzette Gordon. “We’re grateful to the Garden of Dreams Foundation for giving the students at all of our Early Childhood Centers this opportunity and for their continued support.”

“I’d like to congratulate the kids here on what a wonderful job they’ve done working on these gardens, and like the gardens, they are going to grow as well,” said Adam Graves. “It is an honor for us with the Garden of Dreams Foundation to be able to officially open this garden as well as four other local projects to help put smiles on kids’ faces.”

“Educational gardens are a great tool for fostering the development of children while also contributing to the beautification of neighborhoods,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr.  “The new garden at the Jerome Hardeman Early Childhood Education Center is a great example of this and is truly a wonderful addition to the East Elmhurst community. Thank you to SCO Family of Services and the Garden of Dreams Foundation for making this amazing garden a reality.”

“Every child deserves a place where they can follow their curiosity and learn about the world around them, and every parent deserves the peace of mind that comes with having a nurturing learning environment for their children. I’m so proud to have this new community garden at Jerome Hardeman, and look forward to continued investments in our community’s children,” said State Senator Jessica Ramos.

About SCO Family of Services
SCO Family of Services helps New Yorkers build a strong foundation for the future. We get young children off to a good start, launch youth into adulthood, stabilize and strengthen families and unlock potential for children and adults with special needs. SCO has played a vital role delivering human services in communities throughout New York City and Long Island for over 125 years. For more information, please visit www.sco.org.