KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) – Shovels and pitchforks were used on Saturday in the fight against food insecurity.
Volunteers gathered at the Kelly Flading Community Garden in Killeen to get a head-start on some spring crops.
“I’ve been doing this, now, for a good year or two years,” said Jacqueline Hewitt, a Killeen resident. “I’ve come over here since they opened it up.”
Hewitt lives across the street from the Flading garden. She visits and tends to it often.
“Things like this, it (is) healing, it (is) healing,” said Hewitt. “Get back to nature, baby, get back to the basics.”
It is a garden with a purpose.
It offers free fruits and vegetables to residents nearby who are miles away from many of Killeen’s grocery stores.
“It’s hard to get a healthy, well-rounded meal at a corner store,” said Kristen Wright, chair of the Killeen Creators board.
The organization is leading the initiative to provide free food for neighboring residents.
The Flading garden is also nearing its one-year mark since it opened. The land was donated by one of the organization’s co-founders, the late Kelly Flading.
“The point was, that’s it’s a low-to-no barrier for people to access food,” said Wright.
Residents like Hewitt are taking notice to the need and the service.
“People don’t get fresh vegetables and stuff over here,” said Hewitt. “And, this is a blessing, for real.”
With spring closing in, that means more work, not only on the garden but to get volunteers and donations.
“You can play in the dirt, you can wee. And that’s pretty satisfying,” said Wright.
Data shows in Bell County, the food insecurity rate could be close to 17% of residents. So, the goal in mind is to continue providing help for those who need it.
Now, Killeen Creators is setting its sights on teaming up with local schools to teach parents and children how to garden.
“People say, why don’t you have fences and gates. Aren’t people going to take things and destroy things?” said Wright. “People do take things, but they take what they should take.”
Related Link: Food drives planned as post-pandemic food insecurity remains high in Bell County
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