Nc Now - Lenoir kids garden - Unc - Tv

AS A TIER ONE AREA, CALDWELL COUNTY HAS SOME OF THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN THE NATION. ALONG WITH ECONOMIC DISTRESS COMES THE HARD REALITY OF HUNGER FOR THIS STRUGGLING COMMUNITY. HEATHER BURGISS TAKES US TO LENOIR, WHERE WE MEET A 13-YEAR-OLD WHO IS GROWING SEEDS OF KINDNESS IN A COMMUNITY GARDEN WHERE CHILDREN ARE SPROUTING CHANGE AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO PLANT A ROW FOR THE HUNGRY TO INCREASE FOOD SECURITY FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS. >> LET'S HEAD ON UP TO THE POTATO GARDEN. >> WITH MUDDY HANDS AND CURIOUS EYES, STUDENTS AT WHITNEL ELEMENTARY IN LENOIR TEND TO THE GARDEN THEY GREW. >> I PLANTED SOME LETTUCE. >> WORKING ON IT SINCE IT WAS SEEDS. I LIKE SEEDS VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH. >> WITH EACH NEW BUD AND VINE, THE CHILDREN LEARN A LITTLE ABOUT WHERE THEIR FOOD COME FROM, BUT THEY ALSO HELP HUNGRY PEOPLE. >> I BELIEVE CHILDREN WANT TO DO THINGS THAT MATTER, JUST LIKE US. THEY WANT TO DO THINGS THAT ARE PURPOSEFUL AND MEANINGFUL, AND THE GARDEN IS THAT. >> EACH ONE NEEDS ONE THING OF CABBAGE. >> BEHIND THESE ROWS OF VEGGIES AND FRUITS IS THE HEART OF 13-YEAR-OLD DANIELA BERRY AND THIS 8th GRADERS MISSION TO USE GARDENING AS A WAY TO EASE HUNGER IN HER CALDWELL COUNTY COMMUNITY. >> IT'S KIND OF HARD TO THINK ABOUT, JUST TO KNOW THAT THERE'S KIDS THAT GO TO MY SCHOOL WHO DON'T HAVE SUPPER EVERY NIGHT. AND TO ME, I'M JUST LIKE I HAVE A SNACK WHEN I GO FROM HOME SCHOOL. I HAVE SUPPER. AND I'M NOT HUNGRY WHEN I GO HOME. BUT THEY LEAVE SCHOOL, AND THEY KNOW THAT'S THEIR FOOD AND THAT THEY BETTER SUCK IT UP AND GET OVER IT, BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET ANY MORE FOOD, AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT. THAT'S NOT HOW IT SHOULD BE. >> USING A SPARK PLUS GRANT FROM BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF NORTH CAROLINA, THIS 4-H MEMBER WANTED TO MAKE AN IMPACT BY ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO PLANT A ROW FOR THE HUNGRY IN THEIR OWN GARDEN. >> THE $3,000 GRANT TO 11 GROUPS OF PEOPLE IN CALDWELL COUNTY. WE WERE KNOWN FOR MAKING FURNITURE. WE HAD BROYHILL, ALL THE BIG FURNITURE NAMES. AS MOST PEOPLE KNOW, THEY'VE MOVED TO OTHER PLACES, AND WE WERE LEFT WITH A COUNTY WHO HAD VERY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES AND VERY HIGH NEED RATES IN TERMS OF FOOD. >> KNOWING THAT MANY OF HER NEIGHBORS STRUGGLE TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AND WITH A DESIRE TO ENGAGE CHILDREN, DANIELA APPROACHED HER FATHER, PRINCIPAL ANDY BERRY, ABOUT STARTING A GARDEN BEHIND HIS SCHOOL AT WHITNEL. THE PLAN SPROUTED GOODWILL AND INTEREST THROUGHOUT LENOIR. >> THIS COMMUNITY HAS A LARGE HEART. IT'S A GIVING COMMUNITY, TO TAKE CARE OF OTHERS AND TO RESPOND AND JUST SITTING AND WRINGING THEIR HANDS AS A COMMUNITY THAT'S ROLLING UP ITS SLEEVES AND SAYING, OKAY, THIS IS ONE THING WE CAN DO. >> WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS IN THEIR 80s. THEN WE HAVE OUR 5-YEAR-OLD KINDERGARTNERS WORKING TOGETHER IN THE GARDEN. >> I DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS MANY PEOPLE WOULD EMBRACE IT. I DIDN'T THINK HALF THESE PEOPLE WOULD BE THIS INVOLVED AND BE HERE TODAY. >> DON'T PUT THEM ALL IN ONE SPOT. >> THE PEOPLE OF LENOIR SAY THEY FIND GREAT REWARDS IN GARDENING FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. MUCH OF THE FOOD FINDS ITS WAY TO FOOD CRISIS AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTY. >> THIS GARDEN HAS PRODUCED QUITE A BOUNTY. ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS, THERE'S KIDS WHO HAVEN'T ACTUALLY EATEN FRESH VEGETABLES BEFORE THAT ARE NOW EATING FRESH VEGETABLES, AND THEY'RE BRINGING STUFF HOME TO THEIR FAMILY. >> RAIN OR SHINE, THE KIDS ENJOY COMING OUT TO THE GARDEN. FOR MANY OF THEM, IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME TO BE AROUND FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, AND AS THEY LEARN TO GROW THEIR OWN FOOD, MANY WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES WITH THE HARVEST. >> WHEN THE PARENTS COME TO PICK UP THEIR CHILDREN AT THE END OF THE DAY AT THE WRAPAROUND, WHICH IS OUR DAY-CARE, AND THERE'S A BIG TABLE WITH BUSHELS OF VEGETABLES THAT THEY CAN BRING HOME, THAT'S A WAY THEY CAN PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILY. ALSO, IT'S A GREAT SOURCE OF PRIDE, AND THE CHILDREN ALWAYS TELL ME, I BROUGHT HOME GREEN BEANS LAST NIGHT OR I BROUGHT HOME SQUASH OR I TRIED KALE. AND THEY'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED. >> AND THE STUDENTS ARE NOT JUST HELPING OTHERS, BUT THEY ARE LEARNING NEW HABITS AND TRYING NEW FOODS. IN AN EFFORT TO IMPRINT HEALTHY LIFESTYLES ON THIS GENERATION. >> THEY'VE TRIED THINGS THEY NEVER THOUGHT THEY WOULD TRY. SUGAR SNAP PEA. WHAT'S A SUGAR SNAP PEA. WOW, THESE ARE REALLY GOOD. CAN I TAKE SOME HOME FOR MY FAMILY? OF COURSE. LET'S TAKE A LITTLE BAG. AND THEY GO HOME WITH VEGETABLES THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF. >> IN A LOT OF WAYS, I THINK GARDENING HAS SKIPPED A GENERATION FOR SOME OF OUR CHILDREN. THESE CHILDREN ARE BRINGING GARDENING AND GROWING FRESH FOOD BACK TO THEIR FAMILIES, AND THESE CHILDREN ARE REALLY EMPOWERED BY GROWING THEIR FOOD AND PROVIDING FOR THEIR FAMILY. >> I DO TOMATOES. >> I PICK BEANS, TOO. >> YOU PICK BEANS, TOO. IS IT FUN? >> AND WE WENT TOGETHER AND WE ARE ALWAYS NICE TO EACH OTHER. >> WELL, YOU GUYS ARE VERY SWEET. DO YOU THINK THE GARDEN JUST BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE? >> YEAH. >> YEAH. >> IT'S NOT JUST THE SCHOOL GARDEN, BUT WITH A LARGE COMMUNITY GARDEN, THE NEIGHBORLY EFFORT HAS GAINED NATIONAL ATTENTION AND PUT THIS TEENAGER'S PASSION TO DO FOR OTHERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT. >> IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU'RE LIKE THIS GARDEN ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE. IT'S ALREADY MADE AN IMPACT IN THE SHORT TIME IT'S BEEN AT THIS SCHOOL. BUT WE WANT OTHER SCHOOLS TO HAVE THESE KINDS OF GARDENS IN EVERY SCHOOL SO THEY CAN EXPERIENCE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE. IT'S CHANGED THE WHOLE DYNAMIC OF THE SCHOOL. >> AS YOU JUST SAW, RECENTLY LENOIR WAS FEATURED IN "PARADE MAGAZINE" FOR ITS COMMUNITY GARDENING EFFORTS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN PLANT A ROW FOR THE HUNGRY IN YOUR COMMUNITY, LOG ON TO OUR WEBSITE.