Melinda Conwell
Special to Houston County Herald
Pictured are Bethesda Mission Volunteer Tanya Mathis, Erin FCE member Tammy Clarke, and Bethesda Mission Director Charles Thornburg. Submitted
Picture is Erin FCE member Dianne Moore. Submitted
Food insecurity and the rising cost of living can affect struggling families trying to provide nutritious meals for their families.
Houston County experiences food insecurity at a rate of 12% for the population according to the Tennessee Department of Health, which is slightly higher than the national average of 11.5%. According to Feed America, the rate for Houston County is as high as 15.1%, with children in Houston County experiencing an 18.5% food insecurity rate.
When looking to address a meaningful service project to address the growing need for nutritional rich foods, the Houston County Family and Community Education Clubs collaborated to utilize the space adjacent to the newly renovated Community Connection Building in Erin to establish and maintain a community garden.
This all-volunteer project has provided more than 180 pounds of food donated directly to Bethesda Community Mission to supplement their food distribution program. Many volunteer hours were contributed by members of the Erin FCE Club, Irish Friends FCE Club, and the Tennessee Ridge FCE Club.
The Houston County FCE Clubs are members of the Tennessee Association for Family and Community Education (TAFCE). TAFCE is an organization of volunteers who work together to build strong families and communities. The mission of FCE is to strengthen the home and community by improving the quality of life of individuals and families through continuing education, leadership development, and community service.
The Houston County FCE Club would like to thank the employees of United Farm and Home Co-op in Erin for the donations of starter plants to supplement the garden and to the Bethesda Community Mission volunteers for their dedication to Houston County residents in need. The Houston County FCE Clubs plan to continue supplementing produce through the winter utilizing a newly constructed greenhouse on the CCC property.
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