Lexington, KY - Faith Feeds, a cooperative organization started in 2010, alleviates hunger in the community by partnering up with the Lexington Farmers Market, churches such as Beaumont Presbyterian and LaRoca UMC, God's Pantry and other related organizations like Seedleaf.
It began with one man's passion for gleaning and a core group of volunteers who wanted to help battle hunger in poverty.
"Essentially, the name 'Faith Feeds' was a group effort, and the idea was we would try and get fresh food to those people who don't normally have access to it, like the homeless, and those who live in institutions such as the Hope Center and the Catholic Action Center," said John Walker, Faith Feeds vice president.
Walker, who began educating people in 2007 on how to garden sustainably through his Edible Garden Series, realized he wanted to do more for the community by somehow limiting food waste. So he, along with Faith Feeds President Erica Horn and treasurer Jennifer Erena, was able to team up with the Lexington and Bluegrass farmers markets and Reed Valley Orchard to use excess local food to feed the poor.
"Instead of farmers plowing their extra crops under or putting them on the compost pile, we pick them up and take them to local places that feed people who are hungry, so they can add fresh food to those folks' diets, which they get very little of," Horn said.
According to Horn, Faith Feeds has collected in excess of 95,000 pounds of food since it began, and all of it is food that otherwise would have gone to waste. Kentucky farmers have supplied food like organic zucchini, apples, pears and squash to those in need.
Alexa Arnold, assistant manager of the Lexington Farmers Market and Faith Feeds liaison, connects Faith Feeds to those farmers who have extra produce.
"This organization is so important to us because the members of Faith Feeds keep the food that can't be resold from going to waste. They're a vital part of our community," said Arnold.
Arnold said that Faith Feeds is also an outlet for showing that local food can be affordable, because the farmers market accepts food stamps and SNAP benefits.
This year's collected poundage was much more than last year's, and Horn said they're growing faster than they can keep up with.
"We took two tons of sweet corn to God's Pantry, and when I saw the amount of corn in the containers, it was overwhelming. It brought tears to my eyes," Horn said. "When you pull up to a soup kitchen or homeless shelter, those people are so eager to help you, and they're so appreciative. It's a win-win-win: a win for the growers because they don't have to waste, a win for the volunteers because we get such a positive feeling from it and, of course, it's a win for the people who need that fresh food."
Walker said one of the more crucial things for the organization's rapid growth has been the volunteers.
"We've been very lucky with the people who are on the board and the people in our community," Walker said. "They've been one of the biggest secrets to our success."
Recently Seedleaf partnered with Faith Feeds to put on a pumpkin pie-making party, with supplies from Reed Valley Orchard. A large amount of pie mix was made and then delivered to places like God's Pantry to be stored and used for making pies at Thanksgiving and Christmas time.
In-Feed and the Community Kitchen are two other initiatives of Faith Feeds. Horn said In-Feed is a project where gardens are planted in vacant lots downtown near areas that are food insecure. Community Kitchen teaches people about canning and freezing. Foods like excess apples are made into applesauce and pumpkins into pumpkin pie mix.
"People who are not accustomed to cooking or keeping up with food can learn these skills, which are being lost in our modern convenient food cycle," Horn said.
Walker said there are now Faith Feeds branches starting up in Scott County and Franklin County.
"So much food out there is still going to waste," Walker said. "We want people to know if they want to do this, to volunteer, they can and should. We'd like to really see this spread."