This summer, ASIA’s Lantern Youth will break ground on a community garden in AsiaTown as part of the Re-Imagining a More Sustainable Cleveland program. ASIA’s community garden is one of 58 projects selected by the City of Cleveland and Neighborhood Progress to recreate and revitalize a total of 15 acres of vacant land. With a grant of $7,000.00 and the support of Ohio State University Extension’s Urban Agriculture department, ASIA’s Lantern Youth are well under way to begin this five year project.

The community garden will serve to bring diverse residents together, provide safe soil for growing food, and create green space in the urban neighborhood. Many residents in AsiaTown like to garden in their own yards, but creating a community garden will give them an opportunity to share their expertise with neighbors. A lot of preparation still needs to be done before planting in the garden will start, but ASIA is excited to be part of the Re-Imagining Cleveland program and anxious for the summer to begin.

The Lantern Youth is a service-learning and youth leadership develop program for high school youth. The program has been responsible for raising awareness of safety, improving cross-cultural communication by organizing neighborhood meetings, and empowering the residents of AsiaTown. For more information about the Lantern Youth, please contact Kitty Leung, Manager of Children, Youth and Family (216-881-0330).