New Kensington Salvation Army to cultivate vegetables with 'grow cube'

Harvests of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers soon will be coming from within the New Kensington Salvation Army.

They are among the basic salad plants the Salvation Army plans to grow in a new “grow cube” that was set up Thursday in a classroom inside the organization’s building, a former elementary school on Third Street.

Its purchase was supported with nearly $9,500 received from Westmoreland Community Action, said Laurie Suprano, business manager for the Salvation Army.

With the cube, the Salvation Army will be able to grow vegetables all year. The organization plans to make them available through its food pantry, Sally’s Market, and at its outdoor markets held every Thursday beginning June 1 and running into October.

“We want fresh vegetables available to our clients and the community,” Suprano said. “By doing the grow cube, we can sustain this year-round.”

The cube is 10-by-10 feet and about 8 feet high. It could be taller, but two rows of lights suspended from the ceiling across the length of the classroom limit how tall it could be, at least for now.

It came from and was installed by Root 22 Hydroponics in Salem Township.

Suprano said they hope to have some vegetables grown and ready in time for the first June market.

“This is a learning process for us,” she said.

Salvation Army Maj. Scott Flanders said he is excited to collaborate with Westmoreland Community Action on the project.

“We’re glad to have it here,” he said. “This is going to be a great opportunity for Sally’s Market to have fresh produce, vegetables, three to four times a year.”

Flanders said the Salvation Army is expecting to get four harvests a year from the cube.

In addition to the indoor grow cube, Suprano said the Salvation Army will install two raised beds outside on its grounds this year. Crops that could be grown include Brussels sprouts, broccoli and squash, but she said it hasn’t been discussed yet.

The beds are being supported with $4,000 from the Bayer Fund, which is part of a $30,000 grant to the Salvation Army’s Western Pennsylvania Division to support feeding programs, Suprano said. They are expected to be installed in mid-May.

To help people make meals from the foods they can get from the Salvation Army, Michelle Jackson, manager of Sally’s Market, provides simple recipes.

“We want people to eat better and want to make it attainable,” Flanders said.