Most patrons circling the UT Farmers Market are on the hunt to buy fresh produce, but a new initiative is hoping visitors will bring food with them during their next visit.
With their tent pitched to shield the afternoon heat Wednesday, The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture began promotion of their new campaign “Grow More Give More,” a charity aiming to give fresh produce to those in need.
Partnering with Society of St. Andrew, a national, ecumenical organization that provides fresh produce to food shelters, the two are hoping to reach multiple food shelters in the Knoxville area.
Spearheading the project are Jean Husley, assistant director of UTIA marketing and communications, and Amy Caponetti, human resources coordinator with UT AgResearch, who decided to start the program after realizing a void for summer charity projects.
“We do a toy drive in the winter time and I thought we needed to do something in the summer that would help our community,” Caponetti said.
Caponetti said she noticed a large need among food banks and food shelters in the area for fresh produce and said as as a representative of the Ag Campus, the ability to help was right up their alley.
Starting Wednesday, June 5, “Grow More, Give More” will take fresh produce donations. The fruits and veggies will travel through Society of St. Andrews, where the food will be distributed to food bank and shelters including Wesley House Community Center, Knoxville Area Rescue Mission and the Love Kitchen.
The project follows a “no waste” policy, and any food not consumable by humans will be donated to the zoo.
Capinetti and Husley don’t have a set goal for donations, but the two hope their first numbers at the end of the program will be high.
Plant seeds were distributed to visitors to encourage people to grow extra produce in their gardens in hopes that the surplus will be donated to those in need. Though the seeds planted this summer would not sprout in time to be given towards the project, Husley said the message the action spreads is more important.
“In addition to trying to grow our fruits and vegetables, we’re also trying to grow an awareness of the need in this community,” Husley said.
Most donations to food banks and shelters are dried, packaged food. While these do feed those in need, Husley said they are not the healthiest options.
“It’s (the project) good because there is such a real need,” Husley said. “I have a 9-year-old son and I know that if I wasn’t able to give him fruits and veggies it would be a source of concern for me.
“A lot of these food banks do have a lot of dry goods donated and a lot of highly processed foods, but as far as fruits and veggies, that’s a real need.”
Mike Smith, volunteer for Society of St. Andrews, has served with the nonprofit organization for about six years. In the last year, Society of St. Andrews has delivered 9 million pounds of produce.
Smith said while there is still a need for fresh produce donations, he said there has been a steady rise in numbers.
“Most people don’t have it (fresh produce), but that’s why we’re getting farmers involved,” he said. “This year we’re picking up not only from the farm, but we’ve also picked up from several other vendors from the Farmers Market. Things like this make people more aware of what we’re doing.”
Husley said that no amount of produce is too small to donate. Whether a donor comes with a crate of squash or a handful of apples, she said all help is needed.
“We definitely have a potential in the future to grow outside of our campus and outside of Knoxville to across the state.”
The group will take donations at the UT Farmers Market on Neyland Drive beginning at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 5.
