Food pantry promotes healthy eating

By Laura Gunter

TRUMANN, AR (KAIT) –

A Region 8 food pantry is working to get healthier food to the people they work to serve.

Jacob Sawyer, Trumann Food Pantry board member, said they recently learned about some land and got a great idea.

“Recently the Trumann Food Pantry got access to a lot in Trumann and we started a community garden,” Sawyer said. “So, a lot of volunteers and I have been working a lot of hours to put in a few crops this first year like potatoes, onions, and squash, things like that.”

Sawyer said things with the community garden have really taken off.

“We’ve really gotten the ball rolling on this,” Sawyer said. “Some other volunteers got some seed packets together where everybody in the neighborhood will get a pot with a seed in it and a little instruction guide and then we had a planting day. And so, the people in the neighborhood had started their seeds at home, and the kids were able to come up and plant them in the dirt, right there at the garden. So, it’s been fun.”

Sawyer said the community response has been positive.

“It’s been a great response,” Sawyer said. “We got more response than we were expecting. So, we’ve got kids in the neighborhood who want to come out and get their hands dirty. There are adults in the neighborhood who are taking advantage of it and growing watermelons for example. And so, I think the interest is going to grow and grow in the future.”

Sawyer said it seems to be making an impact.

“I think it’s working,” Sawyer said. “So far so good. Based on what the volunteers and the people in the neighborhood have said to me, so far so good. It’s working.”

Sawyer said they serve around 150 households a week.

“There is a really big need in our area,” Sawyer said. “And we’re always worried about where the next load of food is coming from. Hopefully, the garden will eventually alleviate some of that. But we need as much volunteer work and donations as we can get.”

The Trumann Food Pantry is open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information about the food pantry, you can call (870) 483-1118 or log onto their Facebook page.