Chinquapin Organic Gardens Food Bank Project
The Food Bank Project needs your support to make this season even better!
We have a small group of very committed volunteers that meet on Saturday mornings to gather and deliver donations. We are looking for volunteers to help. Your commitment, whether large or small, would be genuinely appreciated. Some of the tasks are watering, weeding, picking and packing produce, and delivering to the food bank. Sign up to volunteer!
Want to donate produce? Drop off your donations Saturday mornings from 8-9 a.m. starting May 20.
For more information, follow our Instagram page. Look for emails from Anne Saul during the growing season regarding each week’s work. Have more questions? Contact Margie Heins at [email protected] or 571-242-2677.
HISTORY OF THE FOOD BANK PROJECT
The Chinquapin Organic Gardens Food Bank Project kicked off its inaugural season in May 2020 to grow, harvest, package and deliver fresh organic produce and herbs to a local food bank. That year, the project donated four to six large boxes of produce weekly. In 2021, with the help of the Chinquapin gardening community, the project increased the donations to eight to 12 large boxes each week.
At the end of the 2021 season, the City of Alexandria approved a request to dedicate two Chinquapin plots — G3, C3 — for use by the Food Bank Project. Since 2022, the project has grown its own produce, received numerous donations from fellow gardeners, picked and packaged boxes for immediate use by the local food bank.
Additionally, it manages a vacation collection program. This program allows fellow gardeners to give permission for the Food Bank Project to pick and pack ripe produce directly from their plots when they plan to be away for any period of time
The project has had a positive impact on reducing food insecurities among Alexandria residents. It has also built a sense of pride, belonging and camaraderie for people who garden at Chinquapiin.
Note: Work on the Food Bank Project does not count toward gardener volunteering hours.
We have a small group of very committed volunteers that meet on Saturday mornings to gather and deliver donations. We are looking for volunteers to help. Your commitment, whether large or small, would be genuinely appreciated. Some of the tasks are watering, weeding, picking and packing produce, and delivering to the food bank. Sign up to volunteer!
Want to donate produce? Drop off your donations Saturday mornings from 8-9 a.m. starting May 20.
For more information, follow our Instagram page. Look for emails from Anne Saul during the growing season regarding each week’s work. Have more questions? Contact Margie Heins at [email protected] or 571-242-2677.
HISTORY OF THE FOOD BANK PROJECT
The Chinquapin Organic Gardens Food Bank Project kicked off its inaugural season in May 2020 to grow, harvest, package and deliver fresh organic produce and herbs to a local food bank. That year, the project donated four to six large boxes of produce weekly. In 2021, with the help of the Chinquapin gardening community, the project increased the donations to eight to 12 large boxes each week.
At the end of the 2021 season, the City of Alexandria approved a request to dedicate two Chinquapin plots — G3, C3 — for use by the Food Bank Project. Since 2022, the project has grown its own produce, received numerous donations from fellow gardeners, picked and packaged boxes for immediate use by the local food bank.
Additionally, it manages a vacation collection program. This program allows fellow gardeners to give permission for the Food Bank Project to pick and pack ripe produce directly from their plots when they plan to be away for any period of time
The project has had a positive impact on reducing food insecurities among Alexandria residents. It has also built a sense of pride, belonging and camaraderie for people who garden at Chinquapiin.
Note: Work on the Food Bank Project does not count toward gardener volunteering hours.
