ATLANTIC CITY — Nestled between the Police Athletic League and an alley on New York Avenue is a community garden brimming with vegetables.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, chard, peppers and onions are just some of the fresh produce growing in the urban plot.

The garden is maintained by Pastor Alexander Clarence Smith of the Community Harvesters Church and children from the Atlantic City Police Explorers Post. The partnership came after the church purchased the empty lot. The garden and greenhouse, which cost $50,000, were built through grants and donations from AtlantiCare and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, Smith said.

The garden uses box containers and hydroponics to grow vegetables. Smith said he took a master gardening class at Rutgers University that inspired the project. The church owns a food pantry across the street from the lot and decided to turn it into a garden.

“I like growing everything, and cucumbers are my favorite vegetables,” said Smith’s 11-year-old son, Alex.

The latest addition to the lot will be an aquaponics garden funded by a grant from AtlantiCare, said Gregory Ingrum, PAL executive director.

“This is a great way for the children who live in a city and urban environment to learn about the importance of urban agriculture,” said Ingrum who wrote the latest grant to AtlantiCare.

Smith said the garden is being cultivated by five children from the Explorers Post. One of those is 13-year-old Nimit Patel.

“It’s really great to be able to help in the garden. It’s really fun, and we get to learn about the earth and vegetables,” Patel said.

Smith said the garden is not only a chance to educate children, and also adults, about the importance of urban agriculture.

“Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime,” Smith said.

Smith said the garden needs continued funding to expand and keep the vegetables growing and children and community learning.

“We want people to catch on and know they can come to the garden. We don’t sell what we grow, but people can leave a donation when they come,” Smith said.

Donations for the garden can be sent to Seeds of Hope Community Development Corp., 208 N. New York Avenue, Atlantic City, N.J., 08401.

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