"Field Of Greens" Local Food Bank Grows Its Own Fresh Organic Produce

VASHON ISLAND - No family wants to go hungry, and now an unlikely place struggling to feed the community is thinking outside the box to solve the problem. It's a pretty novel idea, a "grow your own" food bank. Now, every week on Vashon and Maury Islands 200 families are getting fresh organic crops harvested year round for their dinner table from the Vashon Maury Community Food Bank.

Its harvest time at the Vashon Food Bank Farm and volunteers like Elizabeth Parrish and her daughter Aiden-Rees are busy picking crops for families that need a little extra help.

"A lot of people go up to the food bank just get kind of staple foods and it's really nice to have fresh fruits and vegetables," said Parrish.

This field of greens was made possible by thousands of dollars in grant money from the United Way and land donated by Chris and Amy Robison.

"Oh, yeah we felt great, really a win-win cause the land gets used and it's too a good cause and we're helping fellow island people and it gives people a place to donate their time," said Robison.

On Tuesday volunteers' harvested kale, chard, and radishes that will help feed 200 families this week at the Food Bank.

Food bank farmer Jen Coe says this program is giving families a healthy alternative to canned and processed produce.

"I think it's so important for people to have access to healthy food and food that's grown here fresh organic is as good as it gets and it's something traditionally food banks have not had access to," said Coe.

At the farm and the small garden behind the food bank Executive Director Yvonne Pitrof says folks will be growing 20 different crops year round for hundreds of families.

"When we can grow on a large scale at the farm we can often times grow enough of a crop that we can share our harvest with other food banks as well," said Pitrof.

Growing its own crops has made the food bank more self-sufficient. But, it'll take volunteers like the Parishes' to keep these crops flourishing.

"We're just trying to get more into service and just realizing how fortunate we are and help to give back to the community," said Parish

The Vashon Maury Community Food Bank still needs plenty of volunteers to help tend to the crops this summer. To sign up to volunteer call 206-463-6332.