Hunger is rampant in Maine, and children are especially vulnerable. According to the Maine Millennium Commission on Hunger, 40 percent of school-age children here are hungry or are regularly at risk for hunger. Add to this the fact that fresh, locally grown produce—the most nutritious part of any diet—is largely inaccessible to people with low incomes. That means that the debilitating effects of hunger are often compounded (paradoxically) by obesity, diabetes, and other products of poor nutrition.

 

Through our on-going community food work, we have made about 60,000 pounds of locally-grown organic produce accessible to those who need it most. This includes individuals and families receiving services through local pantries and soup kitchens as well as elders and families who connect directly with our harvest from the garden. This year we are piloting an exciting new component of our community project—a barter-based CSA made possible through a collaboration with the New England Time Banks.