Bloomfield health insurer Cigna has donated $25,000 to Hartford’s Keney Park Sustainability Project to build and operate an aquaponics system.
The project is intended to advance goals of health and nutrition education and development of community-based food systems. The growing tanks use waste from perch to fertilize plants.
The system will grow basil, herbs and other green-leaf vegetables that will be sold in the Hartford Mobile Market, local farmers markets, and to some restaurants, according to Mayor Luke Bronin’s office.
“I think this is a perfect marriage of a company that’s committed to building healthier communities, and a community organization that’s committed to making our city more sustainable,” Bronin said Monday.
Cigna employees will volunteer to help build the system throughout the summer. About a dozen employees volunteered Monday to get the project started.
“We understand the impact the environment has on health and we’re hoping to help raise a generation of healthy eaters in partnership with Keney Park Sustainability Project,” said David Figliuzzi, executive director of the Cigna Foundation.
