Lawrenceville High School students Dishant and Ankit (pictured above, left to right) recently visited TASK to deliver a generous donation of homegrown lettuce from the automated greenhouse they developed together. Their project, GreenProduce, focuses on feeding those in need through environmentally friendly solutions.

“During a school food drive donating to TASK, I realized how close to home hunger and resource inequity were,” shares Dishant. “I often assumed these issues didn’t affect us much; however, donating something as simple as canned food made me realize how big an impact a small deed can have on our community. Ankit and I realized we could create a solution that would help.”

Together, the young men engineered their own greenhouse using PVC pipe, a wooden pallet, tarps and vinyl. They used CAD software to engineer and 3D print a custom sprinkler nozzle, and they modified a plastic storage tub to create waterproof housing for their customized electronics. Then, they generated code to activate a motor that opens the hose line once per day for automated watering. They have documented their progress on their website. Pictured below is their creation!

The project was a success! Last week, Dishant and Ankit dropped off their first crop of lettuce to the soup kitchen.

The students agree: “In a world driven by goals and aspirations, giving is what turns ambition into something far more rewarding.”

Here at TASK, we are so impressed by their creativity! Dishant and Ankit’s greenhouse project is just another example of our community’s ingenuity and commitment to help their neighbors in need.

Dishant and Ankit, “lettuce” applaud you! Your hard work goes to show that everyone can have a positive impact. The lettuce from GreenProduce will help to stock our salad bar, one of the most popular features of meal service at our Escher Street dining room.

Thank you for demonstrating that every act of support truly makes a difference!