Feed Families in Appalachian Ohio

Summer at Community Food Initiatives means long days, full coolers, verdant gardens, amazing volunteers, and lots of time on the road connecting with farmers, partners, and families! We are grateful for your support of CFI in this busy season, and in every season. 

Here are a few highlights of what we've accomplished in the last few months at CFI, with your help:

CFI’s Garden Giveaways worked with our network of food access partners, including Athens County Public Libraries, on 2023 CFI Garden Giveaways. We shared thousands of free seeds and hundreds of plant starts to support community members to grow and share healthy, fresh food.

Donation Station continues our weekly distribution, currently providing free local produce, eggs, and more to two dozen pantries and other food access sites. We are hearing from our pantry partners that the number of people visiting pantries continues to be high, and we also are receiving feedback that the freshness and quality of the local food provided through CFI is truly appreciated by clients.

Community Gardens hosted workshops on permaculture and fruit tree planting, and worked with new and returning gardeners, including individuals, organizations, and youth groups. The gardens team has also added beautiful new educational signs to create even more welcoming, accessible garden education spaces throughout our area.

Last month, the Sprouts school garden education program wrapped up another successful school year by bringing hundreds of first grade students--and many, many awesome volunteers and teachers--to visit two local farms. Kids got to plant seeds, investigate insect life, eat healthy snacks, play active games, and celebrate a year full of local food, learning, and joy. Garden education continues over the summer at CFI through partnerships with preschools, summer camps, and other partners, helping promote self-confidence, positive peer groups, and a long-term love of fruits, veggies, and being outdoors among our future community leaders.

Veggie Van is well into our 2023 season, sharing not only fresh produce, but also seeds, educational materials, and recipes with community members. We’re excited to be re-launching a weekly Nelsonville Veggie Van market this summer, for a total of three weekly markets throughout the county! 

Thank you for being a CFI supporter, and partnering with us to build food security, resilience, and wellness in our communities. We hope that you are enjoying warm days, fresh veggies, and meaningful connections this summer!

Links:

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