Pittsburgh Mercy holds 'Blooming on Baum' sale

Pittsburgh Mercy Intellectual Disabilities Services’ Alternative Training & Employment Center will hold its fourth annual Blooming on Baum plant sale 10 a.m.-3 p.m. May 10 and May 24.

The sale will be held at the center, 4749 Baum Blvd., Bloomfield, planners state.

The center is a day support, employment and training program serving 40 adults who have intellectual disabilities.

Featured will be plants and vegetables that program participants grew from seeds and cuttings. Included are several varieties of tomatoes, sweet and purple basil, herbs, coleus, geraniums, spider plants and air plants (plants that thrive on sunshine and the moisture in the air).

The center’s colleagues and gardeners will be on hand to share growing tips and advice with newer green thumbs.

Requested donation is $1 to $6 per plant. Proceeds will benefit programs that serve adults with intellectual disabilities.

“Offering opportunities to interact with nature is one of the many innovative ways that we at Pittsburgh Mercy promote whole-person well-being, healthy lifestyle behaviors, and community inclusion for the persons we serve,” says Jeff Bisdee, center program supervisor.

“Our participants take great pride in nurturing the young plants from seeds and cuttings, watching them bud and grow, and seeing others enjoy the fruits of their efforts,” he adds.

For a fourth consecutive year, gardeners from Pittsburgh Mercy will work alongside first responders to plant and care for a community garden at City of Pittsburgh EMS Medic 9 & Rescue 1 Station at 836 South Millvale Ave., half a block from the center.

Past harvests from the garden have been used to prepare healthy snacks for center participants.

Details: 412-661-8916