The Great Kindness Challenge

These are photos from 4 years ago when the First Presbyterian Church began "The Giving Garden!" with 2 raised bed plots.  Volunteers from mixed groups worked together to make the idea of this garden a reality!

 

This garden is still growing strong today!  Here are photos from the 2013 Giving Garden!

  

Here are the garden layouts that were used this year!

For more information about the Community Food Network Gardens visit www.ioniahost.com/garden

For more information about the Great Kindness Challenge visit http://www.greatkindnesschallenge.org/event.html

5th Annual County-wide Food Drive Recipient Information

5th Annual County-wide Food Drive Recipients

Continuing on with the WION Tradition, the Community Food Network will be coordinating the 5 th Annual County-Wide Food Drive! Donations will be collected throughout Ionia County to support up to 10 non-profit organizations helping families in Ionia County. Several local supporting businesses and organizations will be conducting mini-drives from October 26th – November 22nd. This includes several schools, fire departments, and other supporting groups. A full list of mini-drive locations will be available in October. Donations will all be gathered at the Ionia Intermediate School District on November 22nd where they will be sorted by volunteers. Recipient agencies will gather on November 23rd to pick up donations.

Non-profits interested in applying must attend a Registration Workshop on September 30th. Volunteers will be available to help you from 4-7pm at the MSU Extension Office. You may send any representative from your organization!

Apply to be a Recipient!

Information needed to register:

• Contact Information for the organization's director/coordinator.
• Contact Information for the Food Drive Coordinator.
• Approximate number of volunteers assisting on Nov. 23rd. (Your organization must bring 4-6 volunteers to pack up food. Additional volunteers will be reassigned.)
• An online registration form will be available at the Registration Meeting. If your representative is unable to fill out the form at the meeting, they will be given a link that can be filled out online. The registration form must be filled out by October 11th!

Organizations serving residents of Ionia County exclusively will receive priority. Should the Community Food Network receive more than 10 legitimate registrations, we reserve the right to choose recipients from all qualified organizations.

Download the Recipient Information Letter

Greenville Trailside Garden

The Greenville Trailside Garden has accomplished many improvements this year! 

Last September, Habitat for Humanity Volunteers worked together with Health Dept Staff and Community Food Network Volunteers to build a shed and complete the fall clean up needed at the garden.

This spring volunteers from the Building Trades Class at the Montcalm Career Center worked to build a pavilion and add fencing to the Trailside Garden.

The pavilion is now available for Community Food Network volunteers to enjoy shade while working on garden activities and teaching gardening classes in the community.  With the addition of this pavilion, rain collection barrels will make it easier to water the garden plots as rain water will run off the roof into the collection containers.

The fence is a deterrent against the deer and rabbits who enjoyed the garden in years past.

With 100% of the available garden plots rented out by local families and groups, this garden has GROWN very successfully feeding families, neighbors, and the community!

Washington St Soup Garden

The Soup Garden about 3 weeks after planting.

8 Potato Plants

Broccoli in rear Carrots in front

More Carrots

Kolarobi and Beets

Onions

This is last week's harvest and the second harvest from the soup garden.

The tomato and peppers came from the salad garden at the First Presbyterian Church!

Feeding Angels Preschool Garden!

Angels in the Making Preschool

Last Friday, we harvested nearly our entire lunch from the garden. We picked and shredded the zuchinni to make the zuchinni bread. Then had yellow and red tomatoes, green bell peppers, and cucumbers. We did have to buy our protein from the store, but I'm thinking chickens to lay us some eggs!

Gardening with children gets them active and outside, teaches science and math skills, but it also teaches them patience when watching and waiting for the pumpkins to develop.

Pictures from Planting Season

Can you guess what we will be doing with these?

Working hard to get it flat for the seeds.

You could use an empty tennis ball container to plant root vegetable seeds. We planted these the same day we put the seeds in the ground so we could observe what is happening underground. Then we nailed them to the post.

Planting the vertical garden!

We had to decide how much soil to put in each pocket.

We had to figure a way to get at the top pockets, since our hanger is longer than the fence. Then we had to use balance to reach the top spots.

We learned new vocabulary words like 'heaping' 1/2 cup.

We drew on what we have learned in the past about watering the seeds once they were planted to make them grow.

This is what it looks like when it is all planted.

United Way Montcalm-Ionia has MOVED!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Roger A. Thelen 616.794.9840

United Way Montcalm-Ionia Counties Moves Office

Fenwick, Michigan- The United Way Montcalm-Ionia Counties has relocated its office to the HO Steele Education Center on South Sheridan Rd. (M-66), approximately 2.5 miles South of M-57.  “This new location is more centrally located in our two county service area and is easily accessible via M-66.  The facility will also allow us to better serve our partner agencies and local communities”, said Roger A. Thelen, Executive Director , United Way Montcalm-Ionia Counties.

The United Way Montcalm-Ionia Counties is now located at the H.O. Steele Education Center!

Our new mailing address is PO Box 87, Fenwick, MI  48834

This location is on north M-66 in Fenwick between M-44 and M-57.

Our main phone number is still the same at 616-794-9840.  You can also use our toll-free number at 1-800-417-2622 and our fax line will be reconnected soon.

Stop in to say hello and see our new place!

CFN Meeting in Stanton August 5th!

Community Food Network Meeting
Date and Time: August 5, 2013 1:30pm to 3:00pm
Location: Mid-MI District Health Dept (Stanton)

Committees

• Awareness & Resource Committee: 
• Educational Committee: 
• Gardens & Pantry Committee: 
• Volunteer Recruitment & Projects: 
• Healthy Recipes Contest
• Harvest Weekend Events

Upcoming Events

County-wide Food Drive

• Sept 30th Recipient Registration Workshop 4-7pm at the MSU Extension (REQUIRED FOR ALL RECIPIENTS!)
• October 11th - Recipient Registration Deadline!
• October 21st Mini-Drive Kick-Off 4-7pm at the Ionia ISD - pick up supplies, marketing materials, and general info for hosting a mini-drive! (Food Drive Committee Meeting beginning at 7:30pm)
• Mini-Drives may take place October 26th through November 22nd!
• November 22nd - Collection Day at the ISD from 8am-6pm
• November 23rd - Food Pantry Pick Up Day

The next meeting will be the on September 9th at 1:30 pm at the MSU Extension Office in Ionia!

Download and print this agenda

Be sure to send in your garden and pantry updates for this Community Food Network Blog!  We need more stories to keep the momentum going!