The story below was originally published by KTHV in Little Rock. An accompanying video on the story can be found here.
(KTHV)- So many Arkansans don’t know where their next meal will come from. A new report from The US Department of Agriculture announced our state is the number one in food insecurity in the country.
It affects all age, but is especially true for seniors. “We want to make it a sustainable and education center,” said Read Admire, a student from Clinton School of Public Service. “I wanted to see it happen in an urban environment.”
After getting accepted to the Clinton Global Initiative, Admire piloted a project in the community that would collect restaurant food scraps and yard waste to turn it into compost for community gardens.
They are growing beets, carrots, collard greens and mustard greens.
Admire worked directly with the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation. They partnered multiple organizations, including The Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance.”They were the ones who provide the actual plants, the volunteers, and labor,” said Truman Tolefree, director of Little Rock’s Department of Parks and Recreation.
Kathy Webb, executive director for the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance expects the produce to be ready to harvest by late October. “We collect fresh fruits and vegetables, and deliver them to people in Arkansas who are hungry.”
She said it is part of the Arkansas Gleaning Project. “Seniors choose between food and medicine. Or choosing to buy medicine over necessary utensils.”
Admire he said he does this as a way to give back on a larger scale. “What better to get the city and the state involved in local and urban agriculture?”
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