Giving Garden Report, May 2020

Like many things this year, our weekly harvests for the FamilyWorks Food Bank are different.  One example is the attached photo that Toby took of Michelle, Tali, and Lelia with coverings on their faces.  

Beckey and Toby started off the weekly harvests on March 30.  We had some discussion about how we were going to harvest while keeping in line with social distancing and other precautions.  The result is that instead of meeting as a group, individual Giving Garden team members come to the P Patch on Sundays and Mondays at their convenience to harvest from their own plots, the Giving Garden plot, and the common areas.  There is hand sanitizer, soap, paper towels, and disposable plastic gloves for them to use.  They bag up what they have gathered and leave it in the shed.  On Monday evenings, Beckey harvests from plots where the gardener has not been able to harvest for the food bank. She gathers all of the bags in the shed and brings everything to my house.  I deliver the bags to FamilyWorks on Tuesday mornings.

We are happy to report that ..... Beginning with the March 30 harvest, Hazel Heights donated a total of 58.5 pounds to the FamilyWorks Food Bank through the end of May!

As restaurants and stores closed and workers were laid off, the staff at the food bank told us that many people coming to the food bank never needed to use a food bank before.  The line starts in the parking lot and continues down the street.  The people who come to FamilyWorks greatly appreciate the herbs, greens, lettuces, rhubarb, green onions, leeks, strawberries, artichokes, and more that Hazel Heights folks donate.

Thanks to everyone who helps with the harvest and/or donates from their plot!

Written by Judie Clarridge, Giving Garden Coordinator