Food Moxie has grown significantly in the past decade. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary this year, we are taking the opportunity to thank those who have helped us reach this point — and Elder Rob Harrison is someone who certainly deserves that recognition.

Elder Harrison is the director of Stenton Family Manor, one of Philadelphia’s largest emergency housing facilities for families experiencing homelessness. Working with more than 60 families at any given time and making sure all their needs are addressed is no small feat, but Elder Harrison approaches his work with positivity and emphasizes relationships to ensure that things get done. 

Food Moxie and Stenton have had a relationship since 2009, when the half-acre garden there was first established and lovingly named Hope Garden by the residents. Since then, Food Moxie has worked closely with staff and clients at the facility, at 1300 E. Tulpehocken St. in East Germantown, to provide programming for people of all ages. Along the way, Elder Harrison’s support of our work has made Food Moxie feel like part of the Stenton family. 

Hope Garden is a source of beauty and sustenance for everyone in the Stenton community, especially since the produce grown there is donated to the Stenton kitchen. It’s also the hub for Garden Club, Food Moxie's year-round program for children ages 5 and up that features hands-on lessons in gardening, healthy cooking and nutrition. To engage whole families in healthy eating, we also operate Hope Kitchen, a six-week budget- and health-conscious cooking class for parents at Stenton. 

We are always looking to extend our programming, and Elder Harrison always supports our efforts. Last summer, Food Moxie added a segment of Garden Club for middle schoolers, offering more engaging and age-appropriate experiences for them. We also launched monthly Family Nights, bringing Garden Club young people and Hope Kitchen parents together for fun and healthy eating, as well as to give folks unfamiliar with our organization a chance to meet us. This summer, we hope to launch Garden Club for parents and babies in order to get the littlest ones at Stenton out in the dirt too.

Stenton is a large operation, and it can be easy for adults and children to feel lost, but Elder Harrison and his staff encourage residents to build community and to learn new skills, championing Food Moxie programs as meaningful ways to do this. His positivity, big ideas and ready warmth make him a joy to work with. We thank Elder Harrison for his dedication, support and encouragement. Here’s to many more years of successful partnership between Stenton and Food Moxie!