Giving Garden Feeds Many During Its First Season
December 9, 2019
The FSC Giving Garden, opened last spring to provide fresh produce for Island Harvest Food Bank, has had a successful first season.
It yielded 241 pounds of vegetables, which supplemented 289 meals for local families struggling with hunger and food insecurity. Under the supervision of Island Harvest’s certified organic gardeners, FSC faculty, staff, and student volunteers helped cultivate crops that included tomatoes, beets, garlic, squash, herbs and other vegetables. Eventually, more than 3,500 pounds of produce is expected to be grown and distributed to local food pantries, soups kitchens, and other feeding programs serviced by Island Harvest.
Much of this food will end up on the tables of needy families in Nassau and Suffolk, where it is estimated that more than 76,000 children go to bed hungry or without a nutritious meal.
“Partnering with Island Harvest Food Bank aligns perfectly with our core values of community service and sustainability,” says President Nader. “Establishing the Giving Garden during the year we celebrated our Centennial Commencement underscores the College’s rich heritage.”
“Farmingdale State College’s Giving Garden is an essential part of our Island-wide effort to get nutritious fruits and vegetables onto the tables of food-insecure Long Islanders,” says Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO, Island Harvest Food Bank. “Providing long-term, sustainable food security options for the people we serve will help guide them from uncertainty to stability, and we’re pleased to partner with Farmingdale on this important initiative.”
Shubin Dresner is also a member of FSC’s College Council.
