COMMUNITY GARDEN NETWORK In 2013, our Community Garden Program grew into the Bay Area Food Bank Community Garden Network, consisting of two gardens at our Main Branch, the Adopt-a-Plot Garden and the Education Garden, and six satellite gardens throughout Mobile County – including sites where we already host child nutrition programs and senior living facilities. The Adopt-a-Plot Garden consists of 39 raised beds that members of the community can use to garden and grow fresh produce and donate 50% of their harvest back to the food bank to help those in need gain access to healthier food. Our Education Garden continues to grow and host workshops, field trips and volunteers looking to learn more about gardening. Special thanks also goes to Mobile County Extension Office for donating a 1,450 gallon capacity cistern to harvest rain water and keep are our garden hydrated during the hot summer months. In 2013 we also ramped up our gleaning efforts, organizing gleanings at Sunnyland Satsuma Farm, Oak Hill Farm, LA Berry Farm and Craine Creek Farm. Thanks to the farmers’ generosity and the hard work of over 100 volunteers, we were able to harvest more than 18,360 pounds of fresh produce to distribute to those in need. We hope our garden and gleaning programs will continue to sprout success in 2014, and we are able to engage more children in growing their own food by helping more schools start gardens and building templates that will help organizations establish successful garden curricula.
18,360 pounds of fresh produce gleaned in 2013