HARRISBURG – Today, Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr. (R-47) and Rep. Emily Kinkead (D-20), co-chairs of the Hunger Caucus, gathered at the Capitol Hunger Garden for its 13th annual opening season which will supply fresh produce to those in need through the Downtown Daily Bread in Harrisburg.
“Since its inception in 2010, the Capitol Hunger Garden continues to fulfill the mission of raising and providing healthy food options to those in need,” said Vogel. “Our bi-partisan, unified efforts enable us to continue to raise awareness and fight hunger in our Commonwealth.
“The Capitol Hunger Garden isn’t just a place that grows hundreds of pounds of food every year, said Kinkead, “It is also a demonstration of small things that we all can do to help our food insecure neighbors and a symbol of this legislature’s commitment to end hunger across our Commonwealth.”
Last year’s Hunger Garden bounty yielded a total of over 700 pounds of produce, including 99 pounds of cucumbers, 83 pounds of zucchini, 65 pounds of carrots, 63 pounds of red beets, 58 pounds of tomatoes and 53 pounds of green peppers. Also harvested from the garden were many other vegetables and herbs.
Vogel added, “I want to thank the Department of General Services, the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association, the Penn State Master Gardeners, the Downtown Daily Bread, and all the volunteers who help make this garden possible each year.”
Plants for this year’s garden were supplied by the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers and volunteers from the Penn State Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners will assist with maintaining the garden throughout the summer until the season ends in early September.
Established in 2008, the legislative Hunger Caucus seeks to raise awareness for hunger. The most visible of this caucus’s initiatives is the Capitol Hunger Garden, which is a bi-partisan, bi-cameral effort of the General Assembly.
CONTACT: Abby Chiumento, 717-787-3076