A Visit to Food in the Fort

Check out what Claire had to say about her visit to Food in the Fort.

The first encounter we had with Food in the Fort was at Beardsley on September 11.  They had connected with us for a service project: we would assist them in building two 60’ long raised beds which would allow them to grow their own food.  They would be in charge of tending the beds with our mentorship, and all the food grown would be donated to their bi-weekly food pantry, where people in need can come and “shop” for themselves.

I thought the entire idea was innovative, and though I’ve thought of similar ideas myself, having a food pantry had never occurred to me.

Last week, several Beardsley Farm staff went to check out Food in the Fort’s pantry and experience what it is all about.  Guests walk in and give their name, and are given a number in return.  When their number is called, they are lead around individually to pick food off the shelves.  This allows for maximum interaction between guests and Food in the Fort folks, so you can get to know a person and their situation, even what kind of foods they like or how their Thanksgiving went.  This kind of interaction could help organizations like Beardsley and Food in the Fort really understand what people struggle with daily regarding  food and nutrition, and come up with viable solutions such as easy recipes to hand out with the fresh vegetables.

FIF is hoping to expand their reach far beyond just a food pantry, though – founder Eddie Young understands that the way you can truly make a difference in peoples’ lives is by educating them.  It goes right along with Beardsley’s mission, so we are excited to have a partnership with them.

-Claire

From where I stand:

It’s a cold, rainy day. Claire, Rachel and I pile into the farm truck and head over to take our donation to Food in the Fort. Today, we’re not just dropping off our produce. We’re sticking around to see how Food in the Fort works. As we walk into the church, there are many community members standing outside waiting for the doors to open. A few of them even offer to help me with the cooler of produce.

Inside, there are many volunteers preparing for the community members to arrive. Some are separating the produce that we’ve brought, while others are getting the shelves of food ready.Since I’ve never been to Food in the Fort before, so I’m curious to know how their organization works.

As the doors open at 10 am, the community members come in, grab some breakfast and coffee and are then on their way to sign-up. Each community member is given a number and is called out individually to get their food.

Once the community member is called, a volunteer pairs up with them to lead them around the food pantry. Rather than giving them a pre-packed food bag, each community member gets to go through the pantry picking out what they would like, with limitations, which allows for more freedom and independence.

Since the community members are Food in the Fort’s neighbors, a foundation of trust and friendship is involved. They are not giving out charity; they are taking care of their friends and neighbors. These relationships definitely make the difference in the experience of the volunteers and community members. And as I watch Food in the Fort in action, I’m certainly happy that we’re partnering with them.

-Lauren

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