BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Right now at home you might be working to get dinner on the table, but did you know one in eight people in Middle Tennessee do not know where their next meal is coming from? Finding groceries is tough, and finding fresh produce can be even harder.
A program called Project Grow based in Benton County aims to help.
This is an agricultural initiative with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. This is not just about growing food, it's also about educational opportunities.
"Project Grow benefits our partner agencies, so that they can provide nutritious food for for our clients, our neighbors in need, those that are facing hunger," Donations Relations Manager, Donna Vick, said.
This past summer, Vick said they harvested more than 2,400 pounds of food. The land where all this is based was donated by the Benton County Commission back in 2013. A distribution center was built there about five years ago. Now there is Project Grow, and it is heading into its second year.
"It makes the most sense for us because we have all this land, which is priceless," Vick said.
There is a lot going on with Project Grow, like the pollinator barrier which is about three acres. Plus, a whole back acreage, where they are amending the soil with the help of a local contract farmer to eventually expand the project.
"Nobody else grew it. We grew it. Volunteers helped grow it. FFA helped grow it. UT Extension helped grow it. All of these people had a hand in making this happen," Vick said.
According to Vick, the project serves 70 partner agencies in their western region. She said as it grows, the 450 partner agencies in their 46 counties will benefit.
You can hear more about the impact from one organization in the video above.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
