The Fortune Society Kicks Off Rooftop Gardening Season in West Harlem

On Tuesday, April 3, The Fortune Society kicked off its 2018 Rooftop Horticulture Program for formerly incarcerated and formerly homeless clients as well as for families who live at Castle Gardens – Fortune’s supportive permanent housing on West 140th Street in West Harlem. Even though the rooftop garden was still covered in snow, the group of about 15 gardeners spread out in the Castle Gardens community room, rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty learning the art of seed-starting, plant propagation and houseplant care.

Sam Rivera, Fortune’s Associate Vice President of Housing, said, “It’s undeniable that Fortune’s Sky Garden is a beautiful, bountiful and tranquil oasis in the middle of West Harlem. But it offers so much more to our clients and the residents of Castle Gardens. It has created a true sense of community and a place of healing for citizens who are coming home from incarceration or who have experienced homelessness or both. Fortune thanks Deborah Shaw, as well as our clients and Castle Garden residents, for bringing such a wondrous place to life. I’m looking forward to another great harvest in the fall.”