Lincoln University and Christian Hospital Build Community Through Gardens and Career Exploration

Lincoln University of Missouri collaborated with Christian Hospital in North St. Louis to build a community garden to supply residents with fresh, local produce.

One of Lincoln University of Missouri’s (LU) core values is collaboration — collaboration with other land-grant institutions, with private organizations and with communities.

Just recently, Lincoln worked with Christian Hospital in St. Louis to build a community garden and organize a career day.

According to Ms. Sherry Maxwell, a program assistant for Lincoln University Cooperative Extension’s (LUCE) Charleston Outreach Center, Christian Hospital is located among an underserved population, including a nearby senior center.

She said LUCE wants to ensure residents have access to local, garden-grown produce. The hospital has the land and Lincoln has the knowledge, so together, they installed raised garden beds and plan to expand the garden further.

Maxwell said the community garden will fill an immediate need and reduce food insecurity.

“You don’t forget the people who feed you, and Lincoln is helping do just that,” Maxwell said.

LU Board of Curators President Victor Pasley noted this partnership couldn’t have happened without Maxwell. He said the relationship was formed when she met a member of the Christian Hospital Foundation Board at a community celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Partnerships like the one we have with Christian Hospital are incredibly valuable to all organizations, especially Lincoln University of Missouri,” Pasley said. “Community gardens are a unique way to establish such valuable relationships. It was especially gratifying to meet the president of Christian Hospital, Rick Stevens, and to learn that Dr. Grant Winrow, our vice president of university advancement, was his college classmate.”

Administrators from Lincoln University and Christian Hospital met recently for the construction of a community garden.

The community garden was only the beginning. In June, students of LUCE Charleston Outreach Center and the 4-H Youth Development Program visited Christian Hospital for a two-day career exploration event.

Students received hands-on exposure to career paths in the fields of healthcare and wellness. They participated in a dynamic fair featuring educational booths, expert speakers and interactive experiences — all intended to encourage healthier living and introduce students to diverse career options.

Dr. Sandra Jackson, a mental health provider who consults for LU, described the event as a combination tour and job shadowing opportunity, giving students a “sneak peek” into the healthcare and wellness world.

She said students are often familiar with well-known healthcare careers, like doctors and nurses, but don’t know about the many ancillary careers, like pharmacy technicians and music therapists.

Students learned about a typical day on the job and the educational requirements to enter those roles. They even got to try out equipment and practice CPR on mannequins.

Jackson said the healthcare and wellness professionals made learning fun for the students and she was excited about the collaboration between Christian Hospital and Lincoln.

More collaborations are on the horizon. Vice President for University Advancement Dr. Grant Winrow said LU is working on a memorandum of understanding with Christian Hospital to create more in-the-field learning opportunities.

To learn more about programs offered by the Charleston Outreach Center, contact Ms. Sherry Maxwell at MaxwellS@lincolnu.edu.

Click here to learn more about Christian Hospital, located in north St. Louis.