Neighbors Are Enjoying Fresh Greens Thanks to Jill Stone Community Garden

The North Texas Food Bank partner at Temple Emanu-El is growing more fresh food for neighbors visiting Vickery Meadow Food Pantry with the support of a North Texas Food Bank grant.

Vivian and her husband have found a new favorite food: Swiss chard.

The neighbor who visits Vickery Meadow Food Pantry in Dallas recently received Swish chard and bok choy that had been freshly harvested from the nearby Jill Stone Community Garden at Temple Emanu-El. Though she hadn’t prepared it before, she took it home, cut it up and added it to a soup with smoked turkey.

“I love all of the greenery because it’s fresh and you can cook it,” she says. “My husband had never had Swiss chard or bok choy. He tasted it and he just fell in love with it instantly and he ate the whole pot.”

Volunteers from Jill Stone Community Garden are delivering even more fresh produce to the pantry than they used to after adding a new green house and hoop house to their garden through the support of a more than $18,000 North Texas Food Bank grant.

With the greenhouse, volunteers are enhancing production of seedlings to place in the ground, ultimately resulting in more fresh produce to harvest throughout the year. The hoop house provides protection for greens and herbs during extreme heat or cold.

“Jill Stone Garden is a model for what is possible,” says Rob Dolby, NTFB Senior Director of Community Partner Relations. “Along with growing fresh produce, Temple Emanu-El has placed a priority on growing vegetables and greens that are culturally relevant to the people they serve. We are happy this grant allows them to expand those efforts.”

Garden volunteer Gail Lawrence, who also volunteers at Vickery Meadow, says they noticed the increased demand for food assistance at Vickery Meadow and wanted not only to help meet the need, but also to grow the types of vegetables with which their neighbors are familiar.

After Vivian’s husband finished off the greens she received, Vivian returned to Vickery Meadow the following week to see what other fresh veggies were available.

“All the greenery, I love it,” she says. “It’s so healthy for us and it’s great to have and thank you.”