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June Newsletter
The urgency of the times calls for a return to a great simplicity that would permit us to look upon life that surrounds us with all its beauty and ugliness, with all its comedy and tragedy, in all its sweetness and bitterness as having potential for global change.
This spirituality is like the wholesome food found in the home, that simple food that one relishes so much because it does us immense good. It is the spirituality of being attentive to the other, of mutual support, of sharing of joys and sorrows, of sharing of problems and search for solutions. At the moment these little things are important until the so-called “big things” come our way.
-Ivone Gebara, “A Cry for Life from Latin America”
I turn to these words when I begin to wonder if small efforts really do make a difference. Our culture often denigrates smallness; we are encouraged to dream big, shoot for the stars, earn and grow and acquire as much as we can. We forget that most of the people in this world live small lives, simple lives, lives devoted to the ones closest to them. We forget that every life has infinite value, no matter how much the person living it produces or achieves.
Is bigger better? Do we shortchange ourselves by paying attention to “little things”? I don’t think so. I think sharing a simple meal with friends matters. Growing a backyard garden matters. Listening to each other matters. Giving an hour of our time to something greater than ourselves matters. I have seen these kinds of acts transform the lives of individuals and communities little by little, day by day. We see this happening every day at The Nashville Food Project—small efforts in small communities, when sustained, can make a big impact.
But perhaps “bigness” shouldn’t be the goal anyway. Perhaps it is enough to use what we have, do what we can, love people where we are. At some point life may ask us for something more, but in the meantime supporting each other, sharing with each other, and nourishing each other are worthwhile. The simple and the small can do great good.
Sarah Pinson, Summer Intern
Vanderbilt Divinity School
* bunny photo by Jim Thomas
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Thank You, Patrons!
On June 18th, The Nashville Food Project will host the 2nd annual Nourish dinner and auction to raise funds for our work of alleviating hunger in Nashville. As a small token of our thanks, Patron supporters of the sold-out Nourish event were recently invited to a special night at Nashville’s famous Bluebird Cafe. Dinner was prepared and served by TNFP staff and volunteers. The highlight of the evening was the performance of acclaimed songwriters and musicians Thom Schuyler, Fred Knobloch, Jelly Roll Johnson and Tony Arata. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all our Patrons and to all those who helped make our first Nourish Patron’s Party a great success.
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Out Standing in the Field
Our spring harvest has been rolling in with plenty of chard, kale, collards, snow peas, radishes, turnips, carrots, cabbage, and assorted herbs. Many hands have helped us grow this bounty - from our regular volunteers at Operation Stand Down and Friend's Life, to some dedicated locals who find us through Hands On Nashville. We will also be hosting several youth groups and summer camps in the garden this month as well as beginning a new weekly engagement with Room in the Inn's Odyssey Program. As we head into June, we are excited for real summer weather. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and see our heat-loving crops like peppers, tomatoes, corn and okra shoot for the sky!
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Project Pantry Needs Re-Stocking!
An newer initiative of TNFP, Project Pantry works alongside our meals program by pairing fresh grown produce from our gardens with pantry staples and recipes designed to help individuals become more self-reliant by helping them to access and prepare healthy food. The success of the Project Pantry program depends in part on the collection of pantry staple items. Currently, our stock of pantry items is running low, just as harvests from our gardens are going gangbusters! We are looking for community partners who might be willing to host a food drive to benefit The Nashville Food Project. If you or your community group would like to help out by hosting a food drive, check out the shopping list on our website and contact us for any publicity materials we can provide to support your efforts. Thanks! |
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Farm Partner: Good Food for Good People
Crafting healthy meals requires a steady supply of fresh produce. Good Food for Good People brings local food to homes and businesses and is a key TNFP partner, contributing locally-grown veggies and greens to many of our meals. Over the past year, TNFP has received over 2,000 lbs of donated produce from GFFGP. We love these gifts and appreciate that Good Food for Good People believes "good food fosters brighter thinking and better solutions to some of the problems we face." Keep up the good work, GFFGP!
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Interns, Interns Everywhere!
The Nashville Food Project has sprouted a new crop of summer interns. We are so excited to have these six energetic folks working and learning with us. Join us for a volunteer session in the coming months and meet everyone. Say hello to Christine Burk, a horticulture student at Nashville Tech, interning in our garden program; Virginia Perry, a Dietetics student at Lipscomb, working with our food programs; Sarah Pinson, a Vanderbilt Divinity student, is focusing on development; Jack Spiva and Miro Hurdle, recent grads of University School of Nashville, are garden interns, and Kelsey Alexander, a Turner Fellow through Franklin Road Academy, is working on both meals and garden programs.
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TNFP Is Hiring!
We are currently accepting applications for a Development Director - someone with the ability to work as a leader and as part of a team. This position is part time (20 hours/week). A job description and additional information can be found at our website.
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Thank You!
Thank you to volunteer groups who participated with us in May.
Currey Ingram Academy
Harpeth Hall School
Dell Financial
DaVita Inc.
St. Paul Christian Academy
Operation Stand Down
RITI's Odyssey Program
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