New York teen Steven Hoffen installs hydroponic systems for communities in need so they can grow their own fresh produce. "Once I learned about hydroponics, I was so captivated by the technology and by its ability to produce food so efficiently and sustainably that I wanted to take advantage of what I'd learned," he said. Hoffen has since installed seven hydroponic systems: one at a food pantry in Tel Aviv, through a partnership with Volcani International and LivinGreen and the rest in the New York City area.
Growing Peace has systems in Hope House in the Bronx, Edgecombe Residential Treatment Facility, Queensboro Correctional Facility and more. Each tower yields a bounty of five-to-10 pounds of nutritious, organic produce every month. "Over the past three years, I've been volunteering during the school year each week at one or two of them," he said. "I do love getting on the ground and helping out to maintain the hydroponic systems, because getting that hands-on experience is what's really fun to me."
Hoffen is passionate about hydroponics specifically, and generally sustainability, agriculture and food insecurity. "I really want to continue installing hydroponic systems wherever I can, potentially branching out to other states or potentially other countries," he said
Source: Jewish Journal