Revised 5/25/18
CFET
The idea for The Center for Environmental Transformation (CFET) was spawned in the
dialogue of a parish synod held in October 2005, when 360 parishioners of Sacred Heart Church
in Camden, New Jersey gathered to talk about the future and responsibility for it. The talks steered
towards Waterfront South in Camden as a site for reflections on humans’ responsibility to the
earth. This responsibility is addressed by land remediation, growing organic vegetables, planting
trees, and changing personal habits of energy consumption. Since then, CFET has become an
agent for environmental justice in the Waterfront South neighborhood of Camden. CFET’s mission
is to engage, educate, and inspire people to practice a more environmentally responsible way of
living on the planet.
CFET has a number of goals including:
• To partner with the people of Waterfront South, as well as organizations throughout
the city, to produce organic, heirloom vegetables and native plant, and to discover
ways to reuse material in the waste stream.
• To work with the residents of Waterfront South to advocate for healthy air, safe
and clean streets, and sustainable employment opportunities.
• To host experiential learning retreats that are geared toward gaining a greater
understanding of the principles of environmental justice and sustainability, thereby
preparing adults and young adults to be educators in their neighborhoods, places
of work or education, and home faith communities.
On Ferry Avenue, CFET adopted a tree nursery that was being managed by The Heart of
Camden. This nursery was originally home to young redbud, ash, and tulip poplar trees. In Fall
2013 volunteers helped CFET staff remove the trees and clean up the lot and on October 15,
2013 it was transformed into CFET’s newest fruit orchard. To celebrate Arbor Day 2014 CFET
worked with the New Jersey Tree Foundation to finish planting the orchard; adding asian pears,
elderberries, figs and a persimmon tree. This orchard is also home to three bee hives.
At the foot of Jasper Street in Waterfront South, there is a beautiful city park. In the park,
CFET manages a garden that serves as the source where most of the produce grown each year.
The tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, eggplants, tomatillos, husk cherries, potatoes, salad
greens, bush and dry beans, collards, broccoli, cabbage, onions, garlic, okra, raspberries,
strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. can be found for sale at CFET’s weekly farmers’
market.
The 200 square foot greenhouse is where everything begins. In February and March,
seeding brassicas, lettuce, nightshades, corn, herbs, and eventually cucurbits begins, giving a
head start on the growing season. Enough seedlings are grown to fill the gardens, to sell to area
gardeners, and to give to neighborhood residents interested in growing their own produce. If a
person is interested in buying seedlings then they may contact CFET’s Farmer.
The greenhouse also functions as a classroom. Home to stormwater management demos,
visitors can see how to use gutters to collect storm water, how to set up bike powered watering
systems, and how to build rain barrels. These projects help CFET connect our farm projects with
other facets of environmental sustainability.
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