In partnership with Halifax County Schools, Franklinton Center at Bricks, Inc. has pivoted ever closer to the heart of our existence. We are farming, not to better serve our Social Justice Conference & Retreat guests, but to focus on our Just Food Project for our local community.
During the Spring/Summer of 2020, FCAB has continued to create and execute a community centered food distribution system that allowed us to distribute fresh fruits and vegetables from seeds sown in the fields into plates served in local homes.
– Between July 13 and September 21, 2020 –
240,000 Servings (60,000 lbs or 30 tons)
Free & Farm Fresh: Acorn Squash, Butternut Squash, Cantaloupes, Corn, Onions, Peas, Spaghetti Squash, Watermelons, Zucchini
We have done this by expanding our partnership with Halifax County Schools’ Greenleaf Farm Project.
Halifax County Schools has operated Greenleaf Farm for the past 5 years, on a 9-acre farm at the combined Inborden Elementary and Enfield Middle Schools located in Enfield, North Carolina. This initiative is one of the first of its kind in the state to incorporate the produce grown from its farm into school lunches and the community. With the help of a teacher/farm manager, co-op students in the agriculture class serve as employees of the farm. They are able to utilize their agricultural skills to run the farm and to enjoy the food grown from the farm. They also learn the value of where their food comes from. Greenleaf Farm has been certified in Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) to verify that fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled, and stored as safely as possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards.
Franklinton Center at Bricks as an educational farm is part of the history of the site coming out of its roots as an accredited school for those who had come out of the history of enslavement – the Joseph Keasby Brick Agricultural, Industrial, and Normal School. While the history of the land as a formal farm begins with slavery, it became an educational institution for those who had suffered systemic oppression. Our land has fed many local community members throughout its history. And, when we are open as a Social Justice Conference & Retreat Center, Franklinton Center at Bricks, Inc. has maintained an A+ for their ServeSafe capabilities.
The goal of our Just Food Project is to address hunger and food insecurity in the counties surrounding FCAB by growing, producing and distributing fresh vegetables and fruits to local families (at this time – PARTICULARLY) those impacted by COVID-19. In addition, this program is providing educational opportunities in food preparation and preservation.
Counties Served: Edgecombe, Franklin, Halifax, Nash & North Hampton
Towns & Communities Served: Enfield, Battleboro, Bloomer Hill Community, Bricks Community, Garrisburg, Halifax, Jackson, Leggett, Roanoke Rapids, Rocky Mount, Seaboard, Tillery, Weldon, Whitakers, Whitakers Rural Health Center
Thank you to Blueprint NC and The United Church of Christ for their contributions to this initiative. Produce will be used to feed community residents during the summer, fall and even into the winter months.
If you are interested in helping to distribute foods in the local community, please reach out to Elly Mendez Angulo, Program Manager (ellyfcab @ gmail.com).