Down By the Schoolyard

Foodies and families alike will gather this weekend at the schoolyard of PS41 for Futurehood, a community block party to benefit the school’s Greenroof Project.

On Saturday, October 4th, the neighborhood will enjoy an afternoon of gourmet snacks (by Bobo Restaurant, Gramercy Tavern, Royale Café and Murrays Bagels), cooking demos, face painting and live concerts by Smalls Jazz Club, Tiny Masters of Today, Care Bares on Fire, Chi Chi and the Dig.

Conceived by Carlos Suarez of Bobo Restaurant, the event, which runs from noon until 6PM aims to bring the community together to celebrate both innovation and environmentalism. We caught up with Suarez, the busy entrepreneur and restaurateur, to get his thoughts on this unique program.

How did you come up with the concept for Futurehood?
I was discussing a desire to get involved in School Food programs and my interest in building a green roof here at the restaurant. One of my friends suggested building a green roof on top of a school as a way to combine these two initiatives.

When I approached PS41 about building a green roof, I learned that they’d been working on the planning and permitting for almost two years. So, I decided to get involved by helping them raise money and awareness.

What is your goal for the Futurehood program?
My hope is that it influences other schools to create spaces for children to connect with nature, and to incorporate these gardens into their curricula. To quote Alice Waters, “They’re learning that food should be fast, cheap and easy; it should be available 24 hours a day; and that resources are infinite.” Obviously this message is distressing, and needs to be addressed. Children need to bond with food and with nature at an early age if we expect them to make healthy decisions for themselves, and for the planet.

What do you hope to accomplish with this first event?
We hope to raise money and awareness for PS41’s Greenroof and to get the Futurehood concept off the ground. Our event is a reminder that communities are important and powerful and need to play a meaningful role in shaping our future.

What do you envision for the next event?
We would like to develop The Futurehood Speaker Series, similar to the 92nd St Y’s, but that focuses on the health of our children and our planet. Also, in the works are The Futurehood Cinema Series, The Futurehood Concert Series…and loads of other good stuff that brings people together.

Tickets for Futurehood are $5 for children and $10 for adults. They may be purchased at www.futurehood.info or at the event.  PS41 is located at Greenwich Avenue and Charles Street.
Futurehood image above by artist Allessandro Greco (which will be printed on organic T-shirts for sale at the event).