ST. LOUIS — Fighting hunger is a real problem across the St. Louis area. Community gardens work daily to change lives, but it all comes at a cost. Thankfully, there's a new boost to fight food insecurity.
Five St. Louis-area nonprofits are getting extra funding to help carry out their mission of feeding their neighbors. It's great news for our community, as families continue to struggle to put food on the table, with fruits and vegetables costing more than ever before.
Right now, according to the St. Louis Area Foodbank, about 15% of people in the Bi-state face hunger. More than 50% of them have to choose between feeding their family or paying their utility bills.
5 On Your Side caught up with one of the grant recipients, Midtown Community Services. The community garden in St. Louis' Midtown neighborhood is unlike any other, Coordinator Dylan Naylor said.
"We just grow everything together here, so it's really inviting for people that don't really know how to garden, but just kind of want to learn. We're all just kind of learning together," he said.
It's planted by the community, for the community. Naylor said every pepper picked and cabbage grown is given to local food pantries.
"It's cool to see people show up and they're like, 'I came here just because I got some of this last week and I want more,'" he said.
Naylor knows first-hand the struggles to keep the community garden blossoming on a minimal budget.
"We have to buy all these new supplies, new seeds, get new compost. There are always things that are needing to get fixed around here," he said.
Thanks to a food insecure cost-share grant, Midtown Community Services is one of 17 projects across Missouri receiving funding up to $50,000. Naylor said the extra money will cover 75% of their costs.
"This is going to buy us for the next growing season for our seeds. We're going to have to buy some garlic to plant this fall. We're going to get some compost, we're going to get some new hoses," he said.
The Missouri Department of Agriculture gave out the grants to address food insecurity in urban areas. The grant's major purpose is to increase food production and availability. Other projects it went to across Missouri include farmers markets, community prep kitchens and agricultural learning centers.
"It really is a problem that the cheapest and by far the most available food around is super processed," Naylor said.
That's why community gardens, like Midtown Community Services', are so important for nurturing the minds and bodies of the people that make up our city.
"Everything always tastes better when you grow it yourself," Naylor said.
Midtown Community Services assists close to 300 people a year through many different avenues. Another major part of their garden is bringing kids out during after school programming to learn about gardening and the importance of eating healthy.