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On this week’s episode of The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast, we welcome Katie Stagliano, founder of Katie’s Krops—a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth to grow gardens and donate fresh produce to those in need, helping to fight hunger one garden at a time.
Katie’s story is one of kindness, action, and a commitment to making a difference. What started as a single cabbage seedling she grew in third grade has blossomed into a nationwide movement of young people growing fresh food and feeding their communities. Through Katie’s Krops, children and teens across the country are learning about the power of service, sustainability, and how small acts can lead to big change.
A 9-year-old, a 40-pound cabbage, and a dream.
That’s what sparked the creation of Katie’s Krops, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting hunger one garden at a time.
What started as a school project for then third-grader Katie Stagliano has since grown into a national movement, empowering young gardeners to feed their communities.
“This is an experience that truly changed my life forever,” Stagliano said.
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCIV) — We know it’s important to eat our fruits and vegetables every day, but some people can’t afford fresh produce and don’t have access to healthy options.
That’s where our May Community Partner, Katie’s Krops, comes in. The non-profit is not only feeding the community, but also getting kids and teens interested in gardening.
Much like her garden, Katie Stagliano’s journey started with a seed.
“I was in the third grade,” Stagliano said. “I planted a tiny cabbage seedling and that tiny seedling grew to be a 40-pound cabbage. This 40-pound cabbage was the size of my 4-year-old brother.”
Sabrina Denson, mother of Ariane Denson, said everyone in the family was excited after hearing the news about Ariane winning the Katie’s Krops Grower of the Year award.
“I was surprised and excited,” said Denson. “Ariane enjoys spending time in the garden with her grandfather. They’ve both really flourished working day to day gardening.”
Katie’s Krops is a youth-based nonprofit based in Summerville, South Carolina dedicated to ending hunger one vegetable garden at a time. Ariane, who is currently in the 4th grade at Belvedere Elementary, joined Katie’s Krops in 2022.
Denson said after hearing about the nonprofit from a family member she didn’t hesitate to sign up Ariane.
“Ariane had to write a profile about herself and why she wanted to join the organization,” said Denson. “She explained that she wants to help retirees be able to afford vegetables. She gives a lot of the produce to the people in the neighborhood. A portion goes to the family. Most of it is given away.”
The Lowcountry has a Southerner of the Year in its backyard.
“Southern Living” named Katie Stagliano, who lives in downtown Charleston, one of its five Southern “trailblazers” making a difference in preserving history and culture, protecting the natural world, inspiring new generations of people into selfless service and providing food to those in need.
Stagliano checks two of those boxes with ease. She runs the nonprofit Katie’s Krops that operates a network of 100 community and backyard gardens in 33 states that range from a couple of raised beds to two acres.
Together, the network grew and donated 680,000 pounds of food to those people struggling with food insecurity since Stagliano first grew a 40-pound cabbage in 2008.
Those gardens happen because of the young people, mostly ages 7 to 16, inspired by her story of a 9-year-old girl turning a third grade project cabbage seedling at Pinewood Preparatory School into a meal for more than 200 people.
Lowcountry native and Southern Magazine’s 2023 ‘Southerner of the Year’ sat down in our News 2 studios to tell us about her efforts in growing fresh produce and feeding people in the community.
Katie Stagliano, Founder and Chief Executive Gardener of ‘Katie’s Krops’, is reflecting on her record-breaking year in her flagship garden. Located in Summerville, Katie’s Krops grows thousands of pounds of fresh produce each year and feeds countless people across the U.S.
It all started in Katie’s backyard when she was in the 3rd grade. She grew a 40lb cabbage and donated it to a local soup kitchen, feeding over 270 people. Katie says she started a movement that changed her life forever.
Katie’s KropsSummerville, South Carolina
Katie Stagliano found her calling at 9 years old when her third-grade teacher sent her home with a seedling for the backyard. Her tiny plant grew into a 40-pound cabbage. “I was shocked because I didn’t know they could get that big. But I realized that this one was far too large for my family to eat,” she says. Every night, her father would remind them just how lucky they were to sit down to a healthy dinner when some people were not able to.
“That’s how I got the idea that changed my life forever,” she says. “I donated my cabbage to a soup kitchen to help feed those who might not otherwise have a meal.” The director of the kitchen invited her to serve her cabbage in a soup with ham and rice. Stagliano remembers how surprised she was to see how many families just like hers were waiting in line for a meal. Because that one vegetable served 275 guests, she thought, “How many people could a garden feed?”
With the support of her parents, she launched Katie’s Krops. The idea took off when her school gave her a plot of land the size of a football field. Soon, the whole student body was involved. Katie’s Krops became an official nonprofit, and her message began to spread. Kids across the country reached out wanting to start their own gardens, so the organization began offering funding and support to Katie’s Krops Growers between the ages of 7 and 16.
Today, at 25 years old, Stagliano is at the helm of a project that includes 100 gardens in 33 states. Collectively, Katie’s Krops has donated around 600,000 pounds of produce—with no plans of slowing down. Stagliano says, “I would love to reach all 50 states and eventually expand internationally.”
