Community garden partners with SEMO Food Bank to fight food insecurity

JACKSON, Mo. (KBSI) — As warmer weather encourages outdoor activities like walking, sports and gardening, one local nonprofit is using the season to give back.

For the first time, a community garden in Jackson is partnering with the Southeast Missouri (SEMO) Food Bank to help provide fresh produce to individuals and families struggling with food insecurity.

The Jackson Community Garden, which officially launched last year, is run by the Buttheadz Growers Club — a nonprofit led by President Erick Engleheart. Built primarily from donated materials, the garden represents a grassroots effort to grow fresh fruits and vegetables for the local community.

“It actually came to fruition last year,” said Engleheart. “We built these beds here out of pallets. We didn’t really have a lot of money, so we used what we could find that was donated — lumber, pallets, plastic. We pulled our money and resources together and bought the soil for the beds.”

This season, the garden is growing broccoli, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs and spices — all intended for donation.

Engleheart said that while hundreds of pounds of canned food were donated in the past, providing fresh produce offers a more nutritious option.

“There’s a lot of hungry people in the world, and canned food is great, but it’s not as nutritious as fresh vegetables,” he said. “We talked to the SEMO Food Bank and found out all the different ways we could help by growing vegetables for the community.”

The idea began last year when Engleheart met Ryan McQuay, community and food resource manager at SEMO Food Bank, at the Cape Riverfront Market. The two quickly realized they shared a common goal: to reduce food insecurity in the region.

“We are incredibly grateful for it,” McQuay said. “Produce is the backbone of our mission, especially because of how quickly it spoils. Getting it from local gardens allows us to get it to people within a day.”

McQuay added that SEMO Food Bank partners with several organizations to ensure the produce reaches people who need it most — quickly and efficiently.

“With one of our biggest focuses now on nutrition, produce is extremely important,” McQuay said. “When we get help from community members like Erick, it has a huge impact. We’re incredibly thankful.”

This marks the first time SEMO Food Bank has partnered with Buttheadz Growers Club. Both organizations say they’re eager to continue the collaboration — and encourage anyone interested in donating or getting involved to reach out.

For more information on how to donate, visit semofoodbank.org.