Katie’s Blog

Over the past 15 years, we have hosted hundreds of Katie’s Krops Dinners. Looking back, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. At just 12 years old, I could never have imagined that a single cabbage would grow into an initiative that provides free, healthy meals to thousands in our community.

More than 14 years ago, a need presented itself in my community. Families and individuals facing hunger had lost access to hot, healthy, free meals when the only soup kitchen in our area was forced to close for financial reasons. I may have been only twelve, but I recognized that our local Katie’s Krops Gardens could be the solution.

What was that solution? Using the harvest from our gardens, we could create nutritious, hot meals for anyone in need in my hometown of Summerville, South Carolina. Up until that point, we had always donated our harvest to food pantries, soup kitchens, and directly to families in need, but we had never cooked with it ourselves. I approached the head of Food Services at my school, Mr. McNeill, and my 6th-grade science teacher, Cory Miller, and together we created a plan. We would craft a meal based on what we grew, purchasing what we couldn’t cultivate. Our garden volunteers would help us prepare the dinner. And just like that, the very first Katie’s Krops Dinner was born.

What started as a small effort has flourished into something truly special. Thanks to the unwavering support of our community, we have grown into a vital service, now preparing and sharing meals from the Fellowship Hall of Summerville Baptist. As we approach our 15th anniversary, I am deeply grateful for this journey and the incredible impact we have made together.

I don’t ever want to take for granted how blessed I am to have found my path at such an early age. None of this would have been possible without the support of my neighbors, friends, and even complete strangers—people who believed that a young girl could make a big impact. Their faith in me shaped this journey, and now I have the privilege of paying that belief forward to kids across the country, empowering them to create change in their communities.

Every meal we serve is made from scratch, with love and care. We don’t just open cans or reheat food—we create fresh, nutritious meals using produce grown in our very own Katie’s Krops gardens. The winter months bring challenges, especially after the recent winter storm, which has left us with limited fresh produce. Yet, our commitment never wavers. We remain dedicated to serving high-quality meals because we know how much they mean to those who receive them.

Today, we prepare an incredible 700 meals per dinner—a feat made possible only through the kindness and dedication of our volunteers and supporters. The Katie’s Krops Dinners are a testament to the power of community, compassion, and teamwork. Every meal we serve is more than just nourishment; it is a symbol of hope and generosity, a reminder of what we can achieve when we come together.

As we approach 15 years of dinner service, my heart is full of gratitude for every person who has played a part in this journey. Thank you for believing in a 12-year-old girl’s dream. Your support has made this possible, and I am forever thankful. I look forward to many more years of growing, serving, and spreading kindness—one meal at a time.

Five years ago I made a decision that forever changed the course of Katie’s Krops. That decision was to offer grants to other kids across the country to start Katie’s Krops gardens. I was only 12-years-old and filled with doubts. Would anyone apply for a grant? Did other kids truly share my passion for growing an end to hunger?

Putting my doubts aside, we moved forward with launching the first Katie’s Krops grant cycle. The results were truly surprising. Over 200 applications were submitted for the very first Katie’s Krops grant cycle. Selecting the recipients proved to be the biggest challenge. I poured over the 200 plus applications, reading and reviewing each and everyone. One stood out among the rest, a class of third grade students in Watkinsville, Georgia. I selected Mrs. McGrath’s third grade class as one of our very first growers and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made!

Fast forward five years.  I finally had the honor of visiting one of our longest standing gardens in Watkinsville, Georgia. You see, with over 80 plus gardens growing across the country it is impossible to visit even a small fraction of the gardens that bear the Katie’s Krops name.

The moment I walked into the classroom the energy was electric. The students greeted me with open arms, eager to share the gardens. Yes gardens, plural. With every year, with every third grade class that passes through Mrs. McGrath’s classroom their garden grows and expands!

The door leading out of the classroom into their garden is paved with ‘Gardening with a Purpose’, a sign of what these students do each and every day. You are welcomed into a garden filled with raised beds filled with vegetables. A beautiful garden mural adorns one wall. Fig trees and even a greenhouse constructed from recycled windows complete the garden. This is the garden that was constructed the very first year that the students started growing with Katie’s Krops.

Next the students guided me to a chicken coop filled with fresh eggs and chickens racing around. This is year two with Katie’s Krops. A walk to a beautifully fenced in-garden wrapped with fragrant flowers brought us to year three. Inside the fence, hand painted stepping stones led us down a path  to a lush garden filled with berry bushes, raised beds, flowers and vegetables. The pride these students had for their work was amazing. Lastly, we explored year four, the fruit orchard.

Words on a page do not do the gardens justice. How can I express just how proud I am of these students? How can I express how grateful I am to Mrs. McGrath? She is the driving force behind these students. She is the amazing woman who spends her in-school, out-of-school and summer hours growing my dream. How can I express how proud I am to have my name associated with this garden? There simply are not words to do so.

To that 12-year-old girl who was filled with doubts about who would apply for a grant, who would share the dream to grow and end hunger, in five years you will walk into the most amazing garden and realize dreams do come true! To Mrs. McGrath’s students in Watkinsville, Georgia, I can’t wait to see what happens in year five!