A band of Brooklyn moms has been serving their community with free, farm-fresh produce, once per month. Now, with Thanksgiving on the horizon, they’ve turned their attention to feeding families in need for the holiday.
Supermom Recognizes a Community Need
Althea McDonald is a 35-year-old supermom, in all the ways that matter. Currently, she’s enrolled in graduate school, has a 5th grader also in school, and was recently married.
Despite that maxed-out dance card, McDonald noticed families falling on hard times within her community. Struggling in a very basic way — to put food on the table. According to a local news report from Pix11, McDonald decided there was something she could do about it.
Brooklyn Moms Band Together
Eight months ago, McDonald partnered up with 14 other moms from school to address the issue.
One of them was Nancie Katz, the Executive Director of Seeds in the Middle. An initiative that was already running a successful fresh produce stand weekly, in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Per their website, this is an initiative “named by fourth-graders.” Working with students, they provide access to “opportunities beginning with improving their health, enhancing arts education, and greening their environment.”
With the powers of McDonald and Katz combined, they launched a monthly produce stand in Boreum Hill, Brooklyn. Once a month, on Saturdays, the stand offers farm-fresh produce to their community’s families, free of charge. Pix11 reports that the grassroots initiative regularly feeds over 300 families.
Turning Their Attention to Thanksgiving
Now, Thanksgiving is around the corner, and these innovative Brooklyn moms want to make a turkey dinner-sized impact.
Aimed to serve low-income families, the moms are pulling together donations to give away full-blown holiday meal kits. To include turkey, stuffing, cornbread, yams, potatoes, ham, and that good old-fashioned Thanksgiving staple, cranberry sauce.
Currently, the initiative is seeking additional donations in order to serve as many families as possible. To help these moms achieve their goals, please email ps38equityteam@gmail.com or info@seedsinthemiddle.org.
Do these moms inspire you? Is there something like this that you would like to do within your own community? Let us know in the comments below.
