Flint River Fresh preps for 2022 MLK Day of Service

ALBANY, GA —Flint River Fresh, along with community food champions, continues to answer the call to action to keep healthy food growing in food deserts during the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Flint River Fresh leads community gardens expansion, installation, or revitalization activities scheduled for Holley Homes Community Garden in Albany and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Boys & Girls Club in Plains on January 15th and 17th, respectively.

Echoing the heartfelt inspiration by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Everybody can be great…because anyone can serve.,” the Flint River Fresh community and stakeholders appreciate the significant impact achieved even when volunteers are fewer in number. Although safety protocols essential for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and variants limit the number of volunteers, plans to install and plant new raised garden beds at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Boys & Girls Club in Plains are moving forward. Also, plans to clear and prepare the Holley Homes Community Garden in Albany for seasonal planting are underway. Additionally, two community gardens in Dougherty and Sumter County will receive extensive maintenance and care, including planting new fruit tree saplings and seasonal crops.

Expanding the scope of impact beyond the community garden sites, Flint River Fresh will facilitate the assembly of fresh produce bags for delivery to vulnerable populations – supported by the Dougherty Fresh and Healthy Sumter initiatives. Flint River Fresh will partner with community food champions, including Sherwood Baptist Church, Phoebe Putney, and Phoebe Sumter, who will join volunteers making contactless deliveries.

Honoring the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his vision for the beloved community, these 2022 community service projects will help increase community resilience and improve healthy eating options for neighbors without equitable access to healthy foods. More benefits of volunteering with Flint River Fresh include learning or enhancing skillsets for transforming green spaces into community food spaces and reinforcing self-sufficiency.