A Recipe for Transformation

07.14.22

On Thursday, June 9th, a group from Lifestyles for the Disabled visited Freshkills Park to learn about the history of Freshkills as it continues to evolve from a landfill to a verdant grassland habitat – the largest park developed in New York City in more than a century. 

 

Lifestyles for the Disabled is a not-for-profit organization that offers enriching programs for adults with developmental disabilities. Founded in Staten Island in 1994, Lifestyles offers personalized support, quality experiences, and unique opportunities that help to foster independence, individuality, and productivity for over 400 developmentally disabled adults. Through community involvement and recreational, occupational, and service opportunities, Lifestyles enriches the lives of both its participants and the greater Staten Island community.

 

During the group’s visit to Freshkills Park, participants explored the life of the trash we each create on a daily basis and the local, national, and global impacts of the waste we generate. We were also able to think about environmental transformation and reclamation by getting up close and personal with the waterways, plants, and animals found in the engineered landscape of Freshkills Park.

At the top of the park’s North Mound, Lifestyles participants engaged their five senses to investigate the diversity of flora found at Freshkills Park. After their trip, members of Lifestyles created recipe poems inspired by Freshkills Park, using “ingredients” found in the Freshkills landscape! See some examples below:

 

Thank you to Lifestyles for the Disabled for visiting and sharing their recipes for Freshkills Park! If you’d like to bring a group or class to visit Freshkills Park, sign up for a visit here.

Tags: community, field trip, lifestyles for the disabled, nature walk