Some good news to share in these challenging times! The Starfish Throwers is available free to stream on VIMEO. Please spread the word.
“For everyone that’s staying in and looking for something hopeful to stream, we’ve made the film free for anyone to watch on VIMEO for as long as it takes for us to come out on the other side of this thing healthier, stronger, and with a renewed sense of national and global unity. We hope you enjoy what The Huffington Post called “The most heartwarming film of the year!”
‘For three hours tonight, I was happy. I was not anxious. I was not worried. I almost completely forgot that we are living in a world where we face a pandemic. I completely lost myself in service. I was with my chosen family, the people I love and care about. I completely forgot about our new reality. Yes, we worked with a skeleton crew to serve 250 meals, and we passed meals through car windows, but the love was still there, perhaps more than it has ever been.’
Like everyone around the world, my life has been turned upside down. I have worked very hard to graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree in three years. My senior year was going to be amazing. I had the most adorable apartment, a job as a nanny for a family I loved; I was enrolled in the most amazing classes on the campus of the most beautiful college in the United States. Well, my year didn’t start off as planned. A lengthy illness made my first semester difficult. As the new year kicked off, I was excited for a fun last semester, but a car accident in January side-tracked me for several weeks. Things were back on track as I had just ordered my graduation dress, had lined up many trips to grow Katie’s Krops, and my classes were going great.
As I write this, I am home with my family in quarantine. I only leave the house to feed my community by preparing and distributing weekly meals, working in the gardens, and making deliveries to families in need. Is this the senior year I imagined? No, I don’t think any of us fathomed how the world would change in the past few weeks, month. What I do know is that I have found a deep sense of peace as I have thrown myself into service. A smile on the face of a long-time Katie’s Krops dinner guest pulling up to receive a to-go meal on Thursdays brings joy I could have never imagined. Planting seedlings in a garden brings me peace. Sending seeds off to kids across the country fills me with hope. When everything is out of control I have grounded myself, by serving my community and my country.
I know things will get worse before they get better. I also know that small acts of kindness are magnified in this new world. We can get through this if we come together to serve and be kind to one another. We are all in this together. Stay safe, everyone.
THIS PROGRAM IS CLOSED FOR 2021 Grow the Seeds of Hope & Change ~ Our New Seed Sharing Program for Children Out of School
In these challenging times, Katie’s Krops is spreading the seeds of hope and change. Let’s plant the seeds of change and help our neighbors in need as we enter unchartered territory. We want to share our seeds with children across the country. Now is an excellent time for our Southern friends to get outside and start gardening, and for our Northern friends to start seeds indoors.
We will send seeds to 400 people who email Katie@KatiesKrops.com to help us grow a better tomorrow. Please include your full name and mailing address when you email Katie@KatiesKrops.com with the subject line “Seeds of Change.” Gardening is an excellent activity for children who are out of school. We can be the change!
Please note, due to restrictions we cannot ship seeds outside of the United States.
Together we can grow hope! All it takes is one seed.
Katie’s Krops will be distributing free to-go dinners every Thursday to support our community in this time of crisis. Meals will be distributed at the Summerville Family YMCA parking lot located at 208 W. Doty Avenue in Summerville, South Carolina. We will start distributing meals at 5 pm. We will prepare a minimum of 250 meals weekly.
Meals will be distributed drive-thru style. For your safety and the safety of our volunteers please stay in your car at all times.
We want to personally thank everyone who is stepping up to help us serve in the most challenging of times. We are all in this together!
We are thrilled to have broken ground on our new Katie’s Krops Flagship Garden, located on the campus of Crossroads Community Church. The expansive garden, when complete, will include a fruit orchard, an outdoor classroom, raised garden beds, elevated garden beds, a living fence for growing vertical gardens, a pollinator garden, and a composting area.
Our goals with the new garden are to:
· Engage volunteers to grow 2,000 plus pounds of fruits and vegetables annually in the garden to help alleviate hunger in our community.
· Host field trips to educate children on horticulture and the environment.
· Prevent compostable household materials from being lost to landfills by recycling it into garden compost.
· Furnish a habitat for pollinators such as birds, bees, and butterflies.
· Provide volunteer opportunities for community members of all ages.
We hope that our community will come together to help us complete our new garden and achieve our new goals.
Our wish list to complete the garden is as follows:
Garden Angels who will commit to donating $10 to $20 a month for a year to help us grow
$200 ~ Potting bench/weigh station ~ Total needed 2
$250 ~ Raised bed garden where we can grow fruits and vegetable year-round ~ Total needed 14
$250 ~ Garden Shed Storage System – Total needed 1
$250~ Per 50 foot section of the living fence for growing vertical gardens – Total needed 10
$250- Compost Station ~ Total needed 1
$300 ~ Outdoor classroom decking ~ Total needed 1
$300 ~ Outdoor Chalkboard ~ Total needed 1
$300 ~ Wash station ~ Total needed 1
$500 ~ Irrigation ~ Total needed 1
We welcome donations and/or volunteers to complete the garden construction. If your company, family, club, or organization would like to fund a project and join us in the garden to create the project, please reach out to Katie@KatiesKrops.com. If you would like to fund a
project but do not have the time to help we have lots of volunteers ready and willing to tackle all of our garden construction. Community service opportunities abound in the garden, and volunteers of all ages are welcome. To be added to our volunteer list, please email Katie.
Do you have a talent that you are willing to share with us? There are so many ways to help. Do you love to bake? We need desserts for our monthly Katie’s Krops Dinners. Are you a graphic artist? We always need help designing brochures, flyers, and invitations. Are you tech-savvy? We are looking for someone to create an app for our Growers across the country to connect. Are you a photographer or videographer? We would be honored to have your document our gardens, our volunteers, and the impact we are having across our community and the country. Are you a people person who has a car? We are always looking for people to help make deliveries of meals and fresh produce. Do you like to write? Share your talent by writing profiles on our volunteers, Growers, and the people who receive our produce. Thank you for helping us grow a healthy end to hunger.
We are honored and blessed to have the support of our community!
With a grateful heart,
Katie
Empowered Woman Wednesday: How Katie Stagliano is Fighting Hunger in the U.S. (And How You Can Help!)
For South Carolina native, Katie Stagliano, giving back to her community started early. At the age of nine, she became keenly aware of how many Americans are affected by food insecurity–and her dream “to grow a healthy end to hunger” was born.
Stagliano founded Katie’s Krops, an organization that empowers young people around the country to start vegetable gardens in their communities and donate the harvests to the needy. Now, over 10 years later, Katie’s Krops funds gardens in 30 states–and counting. We spoke to this inspiring woman about the power of youth, the lessons that can be learned from a garden, and how you can join her in ending food insecurity and hunger.
Lulus: Tell us about Katies Krops–what is it and how did it start?
Katie Stagliano: In 2008, when I was just nine years old, I received a cabbage seedling from the Bonnie Plants Third Grade Cabbage Program. I planted my seedling in my backyard and every day I would water it. I would fertilize the cabbage and weed around it. My family and I watched it grow and grow and grow in size…when my cabbage was fully grown it weighed in at an amazing 40 pounds!
I knew my cabbage was special and it needed to find a special home. My mom contacted Fields to Families, a local organization that helps farmers get crops to organizations that feed the hungry. They recommended we share it with Tricounty Family Ministries.
In May of 2008, my family and I brought my cabbage to Tri-County Family Ministries. When I walked in, I saw a huge line of people waiting for what might be the only meal they would have that day. When it was time to serve my cabbage to the guests, they thanked me for helping to feed them. My one cabbage helped to feed 275 people. After seeing how many people my one cabbage helped to feed, I thought, “how many people can a garden feed?” And that was the inspiration for me to start Katie’s Krops.
I started with a garden at my home, then school, but I quickly realized that the larger the gardens, and the more gardens, the bigger the impact I could have on hunger. When I start hearing from kids across the country asking how they could help. I decided to start giving grants to other kids to start their own Katie’s Krops garden–[that was] eight years ago. I have built on the model over the past eight years growing to 100 gardens in 30 states.
Lulus: How did you get into gardening? Did you learn from your family?
KS: My family has always had a small vegetable garden in our backyard, and both my grandfather and my great-grandmother were avid gardeners. I remember whenever I went over to my great-grandparent’s house, she would always have fresh berries growing and would pick them to share with us.
After I brought my cabbage home is when I truly became an avid gardener. I believe everything happens for a reason. There was a reason I picked the cabbage seedling I did because it was meant to lead me down a path and change my life. I was blessed to be connected with Ms. Lisa, my master gardener, who has truly taught me so many things about gardening and has been an integral part of Katie’s Krops for the past 10 years.
Lulus: What does “food insecurity” mean exactly? How common is it?
KS: Many take for granted that they will always have access to food–and be able to afford food. Sadly, that is not the case for many. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines “food insecurity” as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecurity and hunger are similar but different, as hunger is a physical issue, and food insecurity is the disruption of food intake or eating patterns because of lack of money and other resources.
Food insecurity may be long term or temporary and can be influenced by many factors such as income, unemployment or underemployment, food deserts, illness, or disability. The risk for food insecurity increases when money to buy food is limited or unavailable. One in nine Americans is affected by food insecurity– (it) affects all states.
Lulus: Are you surprised by how much Katie’s Krops has “grown?”
KS: Youth are a very powerful resource and are often turned away from volunteer opportunities because of their age. [Young people] have the best ideas and are so passionate, I wanted to ensure that with Katie’s Krops, youth would never be turned away from helping to end hunger in their community due to their age.
Never in a million years did I ever expect Katie’s Krops to grow to over 30 states across the U.S. I am so grateful for the support of so many incredible people across the United States, and the world, for believing in the power of youth to end hunger one vegetable garden at a time. I’m so excited to see what the future holds!
Lulus: Is that why your community krops are all youth-led?
KS: I believe the power of youth is something that needs to be tapped into more. Youth have incredible ideas and are not discouraged by obstacles, they believe in endless possibilities. When I first began Katie’s Krops, I was only nine years old and had a big dream to end hunger. I was amazed by the support I received from youth across the country and how many kids wanted to get involved. I wanted to pay it forward to other youth and help them follow their dreams. That’s why I decided to give grants to other youth to help them start vegetable gardens and donate the produce to feed those in need in their community.
I am continually amazed by youth across the country and the incredible difference that they are making in their community. These youth are the future farmers and future philanthropists of our country. I believe it is so important to invest and support the future leaders of our country. There are so many lessons that can be learned from a garden.
Lulus: How can someone get involved with helping feed food-insecure people in their community?
KS: There are lots of different ways to get involved in your community. Most emergency food programs rarely receive donations of fresh vegetables, which are vital to a healthy diet, especially for young children as they’re growing. You can donate fresh produce, whether you have excess from your backyard or you pick up some extra while you are at the grocery store. Canned goods and nonperishables are great items to donate, as well.
If youth between the ages of 9-16 are interested, they can apply to become Katie’s Krops Growers, start a garden in their community, and donate the produce to feed those in need. The application can be found on our website, www.KatiesKrops.com. To help fund a Katie’s Krops garden, a donation of any amount can help empower youth to grow a healthy end to hunger and can be made on our website. We are so grateful for any amount that can be donated to help youth follow their dreams.
Lulus: What’s your goal for the next year? And beyond?
KS: Next year, I am happy to say that I will be returning to Katie’s Krops full time after graduating from The College of Charleston in three years. I’m excited about this transition and to see what the future holds. I want to expand Katie’s Krops to have gardens in all 50 states–and empower even more youth to grow a healthy end to hunger.
Overall, the goal of Katie’s Krops is to end hunger. I know that seems like a lofty goal. But working together we can make a difference, one vegetable garden at a time.
Join us in the Garden on Saturday, January 18th. Kick-off the New Year by Helping End Hunger.
Join us in the new Katie’s Krops flagship garden as we start construction on raised beds. In addition to building the new beds, we will have other garden tasks that we would love to complete to prepare for spring planting. We hope you can join us. This opportunity has been made possible by Youth Service America, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. This is an excellent time to earn garden hours to be able to volunteer at our Katie’s Krops Dinners.
When: Saturday, January 18th – 9 am to 1 pm
Where: The Katie’ Krops Flagship Garden is located at Crossroads Community Church, 505 Gahagan Rd. in Summerville, South Carolina. The garden is located at the rear of the church. Volunteers are required to wear closed-toed shoes. We recommend bringing a bottle of water and garden gloves in you have them. For our young volunteers, we always ask that an adult accompanies them during their time in the garden.
Please email Katie@KatiesKrops.com with questions. Thank you for your support.
We are honored to continue to our Katie’s Krops Dinner in 2020 with the support of Summerville Baptist Church. We will host our dinners on:
Thursday, January 30th
Thursday, February 27th
Thursday, March 19th
Thursday, April 30th
Thursday, May 14th
Monday, June 15th
Thursday, July 23rd
Thursday, August 20th
Thursday, September 24th
Thursday, October 15th ‘The 10th Anniversary of the Katie’s Krops Dinner‘
Thursday, November 19th
Thursday, December 10th
Everyone is welcome at the Katie’s Krops dinner table. Doors to the Fellowship Hall of Summerville Baptist where the dinner will be served will open at 5:30 pm and dinner will be served at 6 pm. The dinner is always free, and reservations are not accepted or required. Summerville Baptist is located at 417 Central Avenue in Summerville, South Carolina. If you would like to sponsor a dinner, we would be honored to have your support. Dinners can be sponsored for $150. Please contact Stacy at Stacy@KatiesKrops.com.
