FoodBankGarden

Found this in Smitty's Notes and wanted to pass the info along to those of you who might be interested in volunteering in a garden to help those who are hungry... The FoodBankGarden, located at the Children's Home, was started more than a decade ago by Jim Holmes Jr., and it is completely run by volunteers. The produce goes to the Second Harvest Food Bank of NorthWest North Carolina, our local food bank. It provides fresh produce to groups who provide food for the hungry in our community. Volunteers help plant, water, weed, pick vegetables, mow grass, etc. It is a beautiful garden on the far back land of the Children's Home, behind the farm animals. The produce is also used in the Food Bank's Triad Community Kitchen, which opened in November 2006. A course taught there by Jeff Bacon, executive chef and director of Triad Community Kitchen, provides job training for those who are under- or unemployed or homeless. The ready-to-heat meals that they prepare extend the shelf-life of perishable food for the Food Bank's partner agencies' feeding programs. I The Food Bank picks up the harvested produce three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and everything they receive is then weighed and distributed to people challenged by hunger. In 2009, the total amount came to 6,815 pounds of produce, through Oct. 1. Squash and zucchini are already coming in, and there is lots of fun work to do. Come out and help at the Food BankCommunityGarden. Harvesting Schedule for June Volunteers meet at the garden every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Dates: June 3, 6,8,10, 13,15,17, 20,22,24, 27,29. (July and August to be announced) Directions to Garden: The Food Bank Garden is located on the grounds of The Children's Home, 1001 Reynolda Road After turning left at 1001 Reynolda Rd turn left at first little intersection. Stay on the road (past the soccer fields) to the gravel road and follow it to the barn. At the barn bear right, then left. Continue down the gravel road. Garden is on your left. For more information, go to http://www.foodbankgarden.blogspot.com/