Until recently, Melody Davis had been picking up fresh food for two years.
That’s a seemingly ordinary task for a lot of folks who can afford to stroll down to Kroger’s or another grocer’s produce aisle. But for Davis, of Athens, that just wasn’t financially feasible.
She got her produce from the Community Foods Initiative’s Donation Station, where low-income advocacy organizations, such as food pantries, can pick up free, fresh produce that is locally grown and harvested.
Davis would volunteer to fetch food for her entire community — a low-income housing complex in Athens — because not only is there a problem of access to food in Southeast Ohio and elsewhere in the United States, but community advocates also argue there is also a problem with the quality of accessible food.
She would love for someone to step up to fill that void, as she’s unable to because of a bad back that has kept her away from Donation Station since last year.
Davis, 55, lives at Athens Metropolitan Housing, a Section 8 housing complex that accepts federal money in return for having housing available to lower-income families who typically pay 30 percent of their income toward the accommodations.
But during last year’s prime season for butternut squash, Davis wasn’t taking any of the produce back to her home. Organizers at the initiative learned the reason was because after making the squash available to her housemates, she would come back to find few of them taken. As it turned out, no one knew how to cook the squash, and it would end up rotten.
So she stopped taking the squash.
Organizers at the initiative thought this was a perfect opportunity to connect Donation Station to one of its other programs, Discovery Kitchen, where people can learn how to cook healthy meals.
CFI reached out to Section 8 housing to set up a workshop that explained what dishes can be made using butternut squash, which led to a tasty fresh meal and people learning about fresh food.
“I have had a number of participants who have come back week after week with a growing passion to learn how to prepare and enjoy new foods,” Donation Station and Discovery Kitchen coordinator Jenn Thompson said.
All of the people living at Section 8 housing are elderly or disabled, so it’s hard for them to get fresh food, Davis said, adding that many at the housing complex looked forward to her trips to Donation Station.
“They would say, ‘Tomorrow is vegetable day,’ ” Davis said. “They would be lined up at the table before I even got back. It was a great experience to see their smiling faces.”
According to Feeding America, Athens County has the highest food insecurity rate in the state at almost 20 percent.
CFI research has concluded that high rates of poverty and food insecurity correlate with negative health impacts including obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Its mission is to ensure that everyone has access to fresh local food through culinary and food preservation, gardening education and food pantries, which offer recipes that include seasonal ingredients.
“We are trying to focus on assets in the community, not just what we are struggling with,” CFI Executive Director Mary Nally said.
CFI works toward its mission through three program areas: community gardens and educational workshops, Donation Station and school garden support.
Gardening open to all
CFI values fresh food that is locally grown. To help fulfill that need, CFI has six community gardens, where 70 community gardeners worked last year. CFI provides everything necessary to maintain the plots, including seeds, water, mulch and tools. The annual membership fee for a garden plot is $25 but there is a low–income waiver available with no questions asked, CFI community garden coordinator Jess Chadwell said.
“Community gardens are great for people that are interested in having a garden but don’t really have a space of their own,” Chadwell said.
As part of having a garden plot, gardeners sign an agreement form detailing guidelines and protocols for the garden.
“In that they each agree to donate 10 percent or more of their grown produce. Gardeners can donate to each other, neighbors, family or the CFI Donation Station,” Chadwell said.
Jen Dougher, a Pennsylvania native, said she will be gardening at a community garden for the first time this season.
“I gardened a lot when I lived in Pennsylvania, but I don’t have a yard where I live now,” Dougher said.
Dougher said she enjoys growing her own produce and used to grow a wide variety of crops. This season she plans to grow crops that are more exotic than simple, leafy lettuce.
Students learn the importance of fresh food
CFI is working to teach Athens residents the importance of fresh healthy food. Five school districts and many daycare centers have gardens, and more than 257 students were involved in lessons taught by CFI last year.
“With ‘relative’ ease, you can raise your own produce, and … a piece of lettuce or tomato from your own garden is superior in taste to one shipped unripe from across the country,” said Mike McTernan, coordinator for the school garden program that embraces young people.
McTernan said the school garden program is important because it gives CFI a chance to introduce important ideas to students.
“We can teach the students how to grow their own food and how to prepare it,” McTernan said. “In the process we can open their eyes to the wonderful variety of things we can grow here.”
McTernan said he doesn’t want the learning to stop when the lessons end and that he encourages students to go home and talk to their parents and relatives about what they learned.
“If we can teach children the benefits of raising their own food locally and without chemicals, preparing this food simply and well, we have a great chance at making an impact on how our food system looks in the future, while also having a positive influence on the overall health of future generations,” McTernan said.
Fresh food for all
Donation Station was created six years ago by Keith Peterson as a board member. He said he saw a lot of food with minor imperfections that couldn’t be sold at the Athens Farmers Market but was still safe for consumption. He saw that as an opportunity for farmers to be able to donate food and have it distributed to people in need.
There is an opportunity through Donation Station for shoppers at the market to make monetary donations. CFI then takes the money and purchases fresh items from the farmers. In 2013, CFI spent $11,389.62 in the local food economy and distributed about 51,000 pounds of food. Once CFI collects the fresh food, it’s distributed the next day.
“We take all of the food we get at the market and we invite representatives of various agencies and pantries to come and pick up for us,” Donation Station Manager Erik Peterson said.
Another way to help Donation Station is by participating in Race for a Reason. The race is hosted by O’Bleness Hospital, and participants have the option of choosing a 5K Race, Mud Run or 3K walk. Participants then choose their own reason for being involved, and CFI is creating a team to promote Donation Station. All money raised goes toward purchasing fresh produce that then gets disturbed to local food pantries and organizations.
“Food insecurity is a serious issue in Athens County, and CFI is one of the only organizations addressing this issue by providing local, fresh produce,” CFI Community Engagement Coordinator Dave Holtkamps said. “A dollar goes a long way with CFI, as every dollar donated goes to purchasing at least one pound of food.”
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How to Donate:
CFI is a membership-based organization, which costs $25. A membership for CFI includes access to all of its workshops, a community garden plot and voting power at annual membership meetings.
All membership and donated funds support the programs, especially Donation Station. For all opportunities to volunteer and support CFI call (740) 593-5971.
