Submission #21659 by Brothers of Israel Men'S Club - Newtown, PA (504)
I have read the 2021 Torch Awards Program Guidelines.
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER GARDEN
Community Outreach
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This program involves contributing to local food banks and soup-kitchens by growing vegetables in our synagogue garden which is run by volunteers from Men's Club. We also deliver food collected from synagogue members gardens to local food banks. The overall goal is to help feed people in Bucks county that are food insufficient. The project involves building and maintaining a garden starting in April and ending in September. It involve delivering produce from the garden on a weekly basis from July to September. The basic goals of the program are to 1.feed the hungry, 2. get people involved in physical /social volunteer activity and 3. encourage young people to volunteer and help others., 4. teach people how to garden
The goal of the program is two-fold.
* First, it encourages members including Hebrew school students to get in the habit of volunteering and helping out people in our community. Members can volunteer in several ways. 1. Garden preparation, 2. planting vegetables, 3. garden maintenance which goes from April to September, 4. Picking veggies, 5. Delivering produce to local food banks and kitchens. .
*Secondly, it supports the needy in our community. There is a food-insecurity rate of 15% in Bucks County where we are located. We have successfully grown hundreds of pounds of fresh produce for several years. This is particularly useful since food banks generally do not have access to fresh food for their clients. Most of their supplies are non-perishable canned or boxed foods so providing fresh foods is an important addition to the diet of their clients. In addition we have also made donations from members private gardens to area food banks/kitchens.
* First, it encourages members including Hebrew school students to get in the habit of volunteering and helping out people in our community. Members can volunteer in several ways. 1. Garden preparation, 2. planting vegetables, 3. garden maintenance which goes from April to September, 4. Picking veggies, 5. Delivering produce to local food banks and kitchens. .
*Secondly, it supports the needy in our community. There is a food-insecurity rate of 15% in Bucks County where we are located. We have successfully grown hundreds of pounds of fresh produce for several years. This is particularly useful since food banks generally do not have access to fresh food for their clients. Most of their supplies are non-perishable canned or boxed foods so providing fresh foods is an important addition to the diet of their clients. In addition we have also made donations from members private gardens to area food banks/kitchens.
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Original Program
Men's Club members unique idea
Silver