Photo by Nicole Green. Volunteers help plant the Sustainable Woodstock Community Garden food security plots. Produce is donated to local food shelves.

48 million people in the United States face food insecurity, including 1 in 5 children in the US.  In Vermont, 1 in 8 Vermonters, or 79,000 people, are facing hunger.  With rising food and gas prices, these numbers are likely to increase in the future.  One of the aspects of living in small towns in Vermont is that we know how to build and support our communities.  There are many different ways that you can help your neighbors and build a resilient and more food-secure village.

Plant Extra in Your Garden

If you are planting a home garden this year and have the space, dedicate a small section to growing extra produce for donation. Choose easy-to-grow and high-yield plants like tomatoes, zucchini, and beans to maximize your impact. Or grow a row of winter squash, which stores well.  Donate your extra produce to organizations like the Woodstock Community Food Shelf, or gift a basket of fresh veggies to an elderly neighbor.  You can use your extra produce to make meals to share with the community or host a simple potluck for your neighborhood and send neighbors home with leftovers.

Volunteer

Many local organizations rely on volunteers to help distribute food, maintain community gardens, or serve meals. Offer your time at a food bank, soup kitchen, or ask your CSA farm if they could use a volunteer. Try volunteering to help with a VeggieVanGo event.  Even a few hours a month can make a significant difference in ensuring people have access to nutritious food.  Meals on Wheels is another great organization to give your time to.   In our community, the Thompson Senior Center delivers meals on Monday-Friday to Barnard, Bridgewater, Pomfret, and Woodstock.  Learn more about volunteering on their website.

Donate Locally or Purchase a CSA for Someone in Need

If you’re financially able, donate to the food bank, meal programs, or non-profits working to address food insecurity. The Vermont Food Bank provides around 12 million pounds of food per year to Vermonters through their programs and partner organizations.  Another impactful option is purchasing a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership for a family in need, giving them access to fresh, locally grown produce.  You can donate directly to NOFA to support their farm-share program.  NOFA’s farm-share program serves over 560 families, reducing the cost of fresh local produce while also supporting over 60 local farms.  You can also donate to support the Sustainable Woodstock Grow Your Own Garden program to help provide free seeds and organic starts to community members in need.  This year we provided gardens for 75 homes and planted food security plots, which grow food for the Woodstock Food Shelf, in both community gardens.

We may not be able to solve all of the problems with food insecurity in our small communities, but if each of us takes a couple of manageable steps to help, we can collectively have a big impact.