More Than Just Food
Do you remember elementary school? Do you remember the black top? That vast open space with a few four-square lines and a hopscotch grid or two drawn amidst the sea of asphalt. The blacktop was not too bad in October, or in April, but do you remember May? August? Even September? We do not even need to mention the summertime when you might have tried to play with neighborhood friends. The blacktop became quite possibly the hottest place on Earth. You could feel the heat seeping through the soles of your shoes and when all you wanted to do was escape the heat, you went to playground where the jungle gym was just as hot.
Now, imagine that you had a huge green space filled with shady trees where you could run and play. Imagine that your family could gather there outside of school hours, and everyone could play in the refreshingly cool space together. What relationships could be built in such a space! What joy could be had at recess and playtimes! But this kind of thing does not exist, does it?
The Giving Grove is an organization started in 2013 that helps to build and grow orchards full of fruit and nut trees, as well as berry brambles. The organization launched here in Kansas City as a response to food insecurity. The founders saw that while many were doing the hard work of giving food to those in need, there were not as many sustainable solutions that would feed families far beyond the week of a food drive or pantry availability. The little orchards started by the Giving Grove have grown into more than 330 orchards across the country. These orchards are cultivated and stewarded by community volunteers, with the support of the Giving Grove staff. The orchards have an average of 15 trees that have the potential to produce up to 4,000 pounds of food per year and up to 73,800 pounds of food in their lifetime. Not only that, but those 15 trees can also sequester approximately 2.7 tons of carbon over a 25-year span.
Not only do these orchards help feed communities in areas where food, especially healthy and fresh food, is a challenge to come by but the orchards are owned by the neighborhoods, so they facilitate community, empowerment, and sustainability. Rob Reiman, the CEO of the Giving Grove, said that what began as an idea to address health concerns and food accessibility has transformed into an idea that helps neighbors meet neighbors, empowers community leaders and members, educates communities on healthy eating and sustainable growing methods, strengthens local food cultures, and serves as destination for beautiful spaces to gather in.
You may be thinking that this sounds really cool, but how could you possibly grow a fruit tree when you cannot even keep that potted basil in your kitchen windowsill alive (or is that just me)? The Giving Grove has so many resources to help communities and volunteers become better educated about caring for their orchards and becoming stewards, and as Reiman stated in an interview, he “will do anything. [He] will show up in the middle of the night to help solve problems and to help those who want to help their communities.” To find out more about such resources or get in contact with a Giving Grove member, check out their website. If you just need a little more encouragement, know that each steward and each orchard started with a person who just wanted their neighborhood to be fed, to know its people, and to be a beautiful and welcoming place for all. What have they become? Places that host youth’s art, places people have weddings, places where celebrations and festivals take place, and places that have made even bigger dreams possible like re-opening shuttered schools and further neighborhood improvements.
While the apples, pears, nuts, and berries are absolutely delicious and help fill hungry bellies and strengthen bodies, the Giving Grove is about so much more than just food. It is about creating relationships and communities where people can grow together, nourish one another, and make their bit of the world a much better place.
