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A 6-year-old child is helping lead the charge to end hunger, as the Ridgeville-based Lily Hartline was recently recognized as Katie’s Krops’ Volunteer of the Year.

The youngest Katie’s Krops’ volunteer to ever receive the honor began contributing her services at the tender age of three alongside her mother, Erin Hartline, by delivering meals and more, according to the organization’s Chief Executive Gardner and Founder Katie Stagliano.

Located in Summerville, Katie’s Krops is a is a youth-based non-profit focused on cultivating and maintaining vegetable gardens in the interest of donating produce and inspiring others to follow the group’s lead.

Lily has subscribed to that mission of growing and giving back through her efforts of establishing a garden in her family’s backyard and donating what’s harvested.

Lily and her mom, it was noted, have distinguished themselves for supporting Katie’s Krops’ free garden-to-family dinners, which are provided to local individuals and families coping with hunger and various degrees of food insecurity and/or scarcity.

“Lily has always gone above and beyond with her kindness, generosity and dedication to helping her community,” reported Stagliano. She went on to recall how Lily arrived at a garden workday with every penny she had saved in her piggy bank to assist struggling families. “There was not a dry eye to be found.”

The altruistic youngster was also commended for spearheading a campaign to save monarch butterflies in the charitable organization’s flagship garden.

“Lily has the biggest heart and the sweetest spirit. I met Lily several years ago when she was 4-years-old and came to our garden to help with our MLK Day Service Project. Her mom shared that she was so excited to come after reading “Katie’s Cabbage,” that she got up at 3 a.m. and couldn’t go back to sleep,” related Stagliano.

In addition to the child’s hard work and diligence in supporting the needy, Lily was further cited for her contagious enthusiasm, which spreads smiles wherever she goes, per Stagliano, and has made the precocious little girl a friend to everyone she has met or worked with.

“She truly is proof that age is just a number. No matter how young or old you are, you can make a tremendous impact on the world,” added Stagliano.

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) – A pair of young sisters are gaining national recognition for growing fruits and vegetables to help feed their community.

We went to find out how their partnerships with organizations like Golden Harvest and other food banks are helping change lives.

For 7-year-old Eva and 12-year-old Norah Drumming, right in their backyard, fresh crops are growing in every corner.

They have cucumbers, melons, broccoli, potatoes, and more. It looks so good; even they can’t help themselves.

“I kind of like to eat it,” said Eva.

But there’s a reason they’re growing so many healthy foods.

Nora said: “It’s just to help out elderly people and people in need in the community.”

They’re part of Katie’s Krops, a youth-based nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger and helping the less fortunate. They were named National Grower of the Year and are the only first-year growers who have ever received this honor.

Selma Sullivan is their grandmother. She said, “I think it’s very important because it really teaches them to give and love others, and it’s teaching them how to live off the land.”

On Sundays, they’re at church handing out the produce. Even their neighbors get a surprise.

“We just love to see the smiles on their faces,” said Sullivan.

The Drumming sisters are helping to solve a bigger issue; food insecurity. Golden Harvest Food Bank says they’ve given out almost 3 million meals in Aiken County.

It’s all hands-on deck to help everyone in need.

Eva said: “I think it’s generous and kind.”

For generations, this family has done this, and they don’t plan to stop anytime soon.

Sullivan said: “We loved it, and we’re just keeping it going.”