Helen Nadel moved to Park City in 2022 when her husband Joel Zarrow was named as CEO of the Park City Community Foundation. She had just started with the People’s Health Clinic as the director of volunteer services and food security last year when the gardens’ position became available. It was a difficult decision to leave People’s Health Clinic, but she’s excited about the new opportunity.
“I had no plans whatsoever to leave the People's Health Clinic, I think it's an amazing organization,” Nadel said. “I had gotten to know both Summit Community Gardens and EATS. I became a plot renter, I started volunteering, I was asked to join the board of the merged organization and had always been really impressed by the work, it resonates deeply with the work that I had been doing for decades.”
She says the Food Farmacy program will continue as she makes the transition. This program gives those experiencing food insecurity access to fresh produce. It’s distributed through the Christians Center’s mobile food pantries to those who are deemed eligible for the program.
“We raised about 1,300 pounds of food last year, there's going to be more this year, we suspect because of some additional growing spaces. We were also able to bring in food from other local growers through a wonderful grant that the Christian Center had. People's Health clinic is still working with patients and Summit Community Gardens and EATS in addition to growing, is working with volunteers who help support that program.”
The merger between the two nonprofit organizations happened last March and shortly after, an interim director had to unexpectedly be brought on board to keep the organization running. But Nadel expects that a new name will happen soon.
“I think everybody thought that we would get a name change sooner. And that process has been started. But really the most important thing was merging the staff, making sure that that mission made sense, knitting the two organizations and boards together, and that was really the priority. I am looking forward to a new name change. I would expect, you know that this year, we will have a new, slightly less of a mouthful name for our community to embrace.”
Nadel adds there are still a few plots available for rent for this summer’s growing season. There are also some classes coming up this month and next about how high-altitude gardening. Registration is open for their after school programs and summer camp registration opens March first.
