by Greta Klawiter-Lein, Augsburg Community Garden Coordinator
About a month ago, I had the opportunity to attend, and present at Growing Stronger Communities: Sustainable Agriculture for Nutrition Security, a conference hosted by the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Food Bank of Raleigh, SC. I was invited to serve on a panel about the role of universities in addressing food insecurity, which was both exciting and intimidating. Most of the attendees represented major food banks and nonprofits that move thousands of pounds of food each week, I was the only one there representing a community garden. But I was warmly welcomed in, as people were very eager to hear about what boots-on-the-ground organizing looks like.
One of the most inspiring things I discovered was the strong emphasis on growing food, not just distributing it. Many organizations represented have gardens or even full farms connected to their food shelves. The host organization itself runs a six-acre farm that supplies fresh produce to its food programs. One night of the conference, we had dinner on their farm, with home-grown collards, cooked by their culinary apprenticeship program.
The breakout sessions were equally energizing. I attended one on Food as Medicine programs, which provide tailored vegetable boxes based on clients’ medical needs; diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic conditions. Not only are doctors seeing remarkable results, but insurance companies are now reaching out to these pilot programs, wanting to support them. It felt like a glimpse into the future of public health, one that puts fresh produce at the center rather than the margins.
Another standout session was regionally focused, and it was encouraging to hear about the innovation happening among our Midwest neighbors. At the same time, there was an undercurrent of frustration that nonprofits are often discouraged from collaborating, sometimes explicitly told not to work with organizations perceived as “competition” by their boards. This theme came up again and again: people doing incredible work, but doing it alone, stretched thin, and trying to reinvent wheels that already exist somewhere nearby.
My biggest takeaway? Collaboration isn’t just helpful, it’s necessary. Also, many programs are thriving, but the need remains immense, especially in rural communities where shifting food culture away from canned goods and meat toward local, fresh foods is a slow but essential process. The work is happening, but often by too few people carrying too much.
Still, I left feeling hopeful. Across the country, people are making meaningful change; planting, growing, cooking, teaching, and organizing. The pace may be slow, but the movement is steady. And being part of that conversation, reminded me that strengthening food security really does start at the community level, one garden bed at a time.
