Meet the Composter: Ann's Heart

Executive Director Kristen McGee and Development Director Peter Urscheler

Using what’s old as new again… this is at the heart of Ann’s Heart, in Phoenixville. This secular non-profit uses the physical space of the former Sacred Heart Campus to provide community support services and programs, and to partner with other organizations to meet the community’s needs. And they compost with us too!

In filling the gaps in human services for its community, Ann’s Heart offers classrooms with free high-speed internet and technology for continuing learning opportunities, club meetings, and work-related team-building events. An art room caters to creative activities for kids, interactive instructions, group lessons, and parties.

Two of its most productive spaces include the HEART Kitchen and a community garden. In partnership with Trellis for Tomorrow, neighborhood volunteers tend to the garden growing fresh, organic produce that is donated to area pantries or for personal use. And fresh, healthy meals are prepared from scratch in the HEART Kitchen and offered to community members in need. Monthly programs provide healthy food education to the community.

Ann’s Heart served more than 5,000 Individual Meals from the Heart Kitchen during its 2021-22 Fiscal Year through its programs that include: the Pay It Forward Cafe program, a free community meal every third Sunday of each month; the Code Blue Warm Meal Program, the Holiday Meals Program (Thanksgiving and Christmas), and the Hurricane Ida Response Program in which it provided meals for First Responders and Emergency Personnel.

With this focus on service to people, it’s only natural that Ann’s Heart would also be conscientious about taking care of the environment. It started composting with Back to Earth Compost Crew a few years ago!

“We felt that Back to Earth Compost Crew would be the perfect fit in partnership with the HEART Kitchen,” said Heather Weirich, Program manager at Ann’s Heart. “Because we believe in creating healthy meals from scratch, we use a ton of vegetables in our meal programs.”

Since using Back to Earth Compost Crew curbside pick-up services, Ann’s Heart has saved more than 1,000 pounds of compostable waste from entering landfills!

Ann’s Heart also has recycling programs and water-bottle refilling stations. It also plans to install solar panels in the near future – making strides to be a good steward of the earth as much as it is for the community.

If you live in the area, check out Ann’s Heart online www.annsheart.org for events and programs, and how you may support its efforts and the community at large.

Back to Earth Compost Crew is happy to have Ann’s Heart in our composting community!