Over 2000 lbs food delivered from HOPE Garden; volunteers need to continue giving

Memorial Hospital Foundation’s second year of its HOPE Garden project has been a huge success.

HOPE stands for Helping Others Produce Enthusiasm. With over 2,000 pounds of food grown and shipped to over 500 families in six different counties, the garden has enthusiastically helped the food insecure.

But, there is still more work to do to provide even more people with food from the garden. The group is seeking volunteers to help with tasks like weeding, harvesting, delivering produce and creating compost.

Last year the hospital planted about three-fourths of an acre at the Lodge, on South Newton Street; zucchini, corn and cantaloupe were among the homegrown produce served in the hospital café and on patient trays. This year the project has expanded to a two-acre plot, with intentions of getting the produce to “food deserts” and food banks in several counties in the hospital’s service area.

According to the national nonprofit hunger-relief organization Feeding America, 10.8 percent of Dubois County’s population was “food insecure” in 2013, the most recent year for which the statistics are available. That means more than 4,500 county residents had limited or uncertain access to healthy and safe food.

Feeding America numbers for surrounding counties include 12.6 percent (2,640 people) in Spencer County; 13.3 percent (1,700 people) in Pike County; 13.1 percent (1,350 people) in Martin County; and 12.5 percent (3,990 people) in Daviess County.

Studies have shown that an increase in food insecurity is followed by an increase in health care costs.

Memorial Hospital Foundation’s HOPE Garden has not only helped meet food needs in the region but also is helping the hospital fulfill its mission to use the Lodge acreage to its fullest potential. The garden project also falls in line with the Catholic Health Association’s 2010 call for hospitals to be involved with environmental sustainability and the ongoing requests of hospitals across the country to address the entire needs of the communities they serve.

To volunteer, contact Memorial Hospital Foundation Executive Director Mike Jones, who serves on the garden committee, at 812-996-8428 or at: mjones@mhhcc.org