Whenever I drive through the gates of Girard College, I vividly remember the first time I visited this inspirational campus. It was for our “orientation day” to kick off the LEADERSHIP Philadelphia Core Class of 2004.
I was a soon-to-be father, commuting to New York as a partner at a successful hedge fund from our beautiful suburban Philadelphia horse farm. Really, I had everything in life anyone could want. But still I was discontented. Something was missing.
Generating strong portfolio returns was good for the ego, but it left me wondering, “What tangible, long-term value am I really creating? What difference am I making?”
I felt the contrast with my father-in-law, who was a commercial real estate developer. When we’d visit a city, he could point to a building and say, “I remember building that 20 years ago.” There it was, still standing the test of time.
So when I came across an article about the LEADERSHIP Philadelphia program in a 2003 Philadelphia Magazine article, I immediately submitted my application to the program.
My intent was to discover more about the unfamiliar world of nonprofit organizations and to better understand the underlying challenges the city of Philadelphia faced.
The program enlightened me about the vast civic issues of Philadelphia, a place that I had moved to from my upbringing in rural New York and New England. The program provided me with an environment to dig deeper into the challenges of the city, not just believe or accept what was written on the front page of the paper.
Collaborating with 100 other motivated community leaders to learn how we could individually and collectively pursue positive change for the city provided a feeling of hope. Progress seemed not only possible, but inevitable. Diverse perspectives, skill-sets, and backgrounds blended together to create a rich dialogue. We learned to think and dream big-picture, but to also develop a sense of responsibility for “doing your part” individually.
So, for my very own “where are they now” profile, I can report that, after the LEADERSHIP Philadelphia class, I took a sharp detour.
As a co-founder of Greener Partners, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission of connecting communities through food, farms, and education throughout the greater Philadelphia region, I am now combining my upbringing on an organic farm with my background in finance to build a long-lasting asset for the benefit of the region.
Greener Partners has become a leader in sustainable farming in the greater Philadelphia region, actively stewarding over 150 acres of sustainable, organic farmland that provide a canvas for people and children to connect with nature and learn where food comes from.
We are addressing big problems such as childhood obesity, juvenile diabetes, land use, and environmental degradation, through fun, engaging, and inspirational on-the-ground programs. Each year our farms host more than 35,000 individuals, plus more than 7,000 students through our award winning farm-to-school initiative, Seed to Snack®.
Our objective is to change the perception of greater Philadelphia from being only known as the “cheesesteak nation.” We also want to be an innovative national leader for sustainable agriculture and healthy food access that increase the quality of life for our communities.
Now, I can drive by one of our community farm programs in the region and see families and kids out picking fresh organic strawberries or visiting our rare breeds of farm animals and know that I am making a tangible difference in the way people, especially children, think about healthy food, their health, and the health of the environment.
At Girard College, Greener Partners has collaborated with teachers and students to build what was first a simple small garden in 2009. Now there are two thriving gardens and a greenhouse for growing food year-round with a multitude of programs that integrate science and math into experiential learning and after-school community service learning.
Students tend to the sites, harvest their own salads in the cafeteria, and sell produce at the nearby weekend farmer’s market to gain important entrepreneurial skills.
It’s a pleasure to come back to Girard and know that this would have never happened if I had not participated in the LEADERSHIP program that began amid its white-marble walls years ago.
The program was truly a catalyst that transformed my passive philanthropy into active and committee service for our city and region.
As Greener Partners continues to grow, and I continue to do what I can to serve other great organizations through board service and volunteerism, I have a strong sense of being a true stakeholder working alongside the many other generous and committed leaders who are shaping a positive future for Philadelphia.
Jason Ingle
Executive Director
Greener Partners
