Regional Food Bank 'Growing' Resources To Feed Those In Need

Jacqueline Sit, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma ranks among the top five states in the number of people who are hungry but in the Oklahoma City metro area, 1 in 7 struggles with hunger every day. Now the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma has a unique way to feed more families.

Hidden behind the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is a farm of sorts.

"Right now we're at our urban farm, which is 3.5 acres of basically garden. We have a small orchard," said Bruce Edwards, Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Urban Harvest director.

There's a garden filled with 6,000 pounds of strawberries growing in the greenhouse which goes to kid's meals around the Oklahoma City metro area.

From fruits to vegetables and even compost, hundreds of Oklahomans are also gaining some green thumb techniques to grow a harvest of their own.

Take it from Lisa Perry. Since she started taking Sustainable Home Gardening Classes with her dad last year, they've had their own gardens with fresh produce.

Learn more about the Sustainable Home Gardening Classes

"Someone like me who's truly a 'black thumb' is able to grow things in my backyard," Perry said. "It was just definitely nice to have the fresh produce, and honestly the taste of it was so different."

Last year's Urban Harvest program taught 400 people how to grow their own food. This new season is expected to attract a bigger crop of students.

"In the past gardening is more of a hobby, but more and more people are starting to be afraid of where their food comes from, if there's going to be enough food. We have a system where food is coming from clear around the world," Edwards said.

This year, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma has distributed about 32 million pounds of food, which is nearly a 40 percent increase over this time last year.