PARTNER TO GROW Community Garden

Valley Shore YMCA, 201 Spencer Plain Road, Westbrook, CT 06498

Richard J. Feil, KM

osb11@sbcglobal.net

Food, Physically/mentally disabled

When the directors asked members for ideas to impact the community in 2014, Richard Feil, KM, 2022 Area Chair Eastern CT, recommended launching a community garden to feed the needy at the local Shoreline Pantry. Since then, volunteers, of all ages from youth to retirees, learn about “green” crops. They greatly enjoy working together outdoors, even more during COVID, while providing perishable produce weekly. Youth campers grew “pizzas & salsa” and made them from their harvest of herbs and tomatoes this year. High Schoolers also received credit for community service hours during the Summer. Several volunteers looking for community service time performed the heavier duty manual work too!

Little did any one expect how critical the garden harvests would become in 2020-2021 with the devastating COVID19 medical and economic impacts in CT. The weekly demand for food nearly has tripled since March 2020 at the Shoreline Food Pantry, St. Mark Church, Westbrook. The YMCA perishable vegetables supplement the Food Bank meats, cheese, eggs, non-perishable vegetables, and boxed grocery items every Tuesday afternoon. A critical supply over 800 paper shopping bags, four per family are prepared for drive-up cars who start lining up early by 10AM prior to opening.

VERY Gratefully, 2021 was the most bountiful harvest for the last 8 years! The American Association approved donating $5000 from the COVID-19 Emergency Food Grant for the PARTNER TO GROW Garden. Many great improvements were installed thanks to this tremendous generosity of Rev. Dr. Trexler, Executive Director and Dr. Bob Staab and Susan, Area Co-Chairs Eastern CT. Attached report photos represent the many improvements funded by the Association grant in 2021:

 New THANKS Order of Malta & bed donor signage.
 Double entry gate for equipment access
 Fencing replacement after 7 years
 Porous bed covers that prevented weeds
 4 inches of amended compost
 Full path wood chip replacement
 Irrigation system rehabilitation
 New sturdy weekly harvest sinks

MOST IMPORTANTLY, Director Debbie Quinn was also able to hire a part-time experienced garden coordinator, who worked many hours weekly, all season long. Judy planted the extremely tall, 12foot, “curb appeal landmark” sunflowers beneficial for birds and pollination.
Thanks to the rainy warm weather over 3400 lbs of luscious vegetables were provided from June through October in 2021; well over 18,000 lbs since 2014. Only 1500 lbs were delivered in 2021 due to droughts, several 90-degree heat waves, and lack of help during COVID.
What can be better than to feed the needy weekly with the healthiest fresh vegetables, ready to cook and serve, especially during the two years of depressed COVID-19 conditions! Thanks again Order of Malta – American Association for your greatly appreciated substantial emergency grant.