Local farmer shares Monsanto funds with food pantry

MEDINA, Ohio — Every Friday evening, the Sharing Center food pantry opens its doors to Medina County families in need of food assistance. Families are able to shop as they would in a grocery store, choosing food based on their needs.

Each month the Sharing Center serves around 120 people, with even more customers during the holiday season. This Thanksgiving, more than 140 people will sit down to dinner thanks to the Sharing Center food pantry.

“The Sharing Center is a good cause that provides many families with groceries year round,” said Louis Berry, a Medina County farmer. “The holiday season is especially busy for the food pantry, with both shoppers and donations coming in.”

Donation

Earlier this year, Berry directed a $2,500 donation to the Sharing Center food pantry ministry of St. Paul’s Evangelical Church, through America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.

With the donation, the food pantry was able to purchase three months’ worth of food, while helping to cover operating expenses. Because the families are able to select the groceries they want, the Sharing Center seeks to provide a variety for them to choose from.

“The donation provided a quarter of our funding, which allowed us to purchase a greater selection of food for our patrons,” said Karen Edwards, director of the Sharing Center.

Berry has donated to the Sharing Center for many years, and said directing the money to the food pantry was an easy decision.

Program

America’s Farmers Grow Communities gives winning farmers the opportunity to direct a $2,500 donation to a nonprofit organization in their county. Farmers have helped fund more than 5,200 organizations in rural America through America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.

The program launched nationally in 2011 and has grown to include 1,289 eligible counties in 39 states.

Register to win

Farmers and rural community members can now visit GrowCommunities.com and register to win or submit an idea in need of funding. This program is part of the Monsanto Fund’s overall effort to support rural education and communities.