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Politics & Government

Church Grows Fresh Produce For Palatine Food Pantry

Fresh grown vegetables delivered weekly for pantry.

Andrew Johns has learned what it means to give back to his community at a very young age.

Johns, who will turn 9 next week, was helping his mother Michelle unload fresh produce that he helped grow at the Palatine Township office for the Food Pantry. Johns proudly held a two-pound zucchini that he picked early Monday morning.

"I know that people come here and get food,” Andrew said. “It grows fresh and it is healthier for your body.”

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The typically brings two bushels of fresh-picked vegetables every Monday to the Palatine Food Pantry. On Monday, Andrew and his mom were dropping off zucchinis, cucumbers, squash, carrots and tomatoes.

Andrew helped plant and pick the zucchini, which will now be available for clients of the Palatine Food Panty. The pantry, located at the , 721 S. Quentin Rd., has accepted fresh produce for a number of years, according to director Laura Hoover.

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“We love to have fresh vegetables or fruits for our families,” Hoover said. “We split up what we get right now between about 40 families, but we would like to have more to offer.”

Hoover said that the Palatine Food Pantry will accept fresh produce on Mondays and Wednesdays. She does ask that the produce is washed before it is delivered.

“We don’t have a refrigerator to keep the produce in,” Hoover said. “So that is why we ask for deliveries for fresh produce on those days. We are happy to take donations of can or dry goods any day people would like to drop them off.”

Mark Hamlen runs the vegetable garden for the Presbyterian Church of Palatine. Hamlen started the garden six years ago. It produces nearly 400 pounds of fresh vegetables each year all of which is donated to the Palatine Food pantry.

“We had an area of land that was perfect for this,” Hamlin said. “It gets a lot of sun We have a lot of people helping out with it.”

Hamlin has taught and helped Andrew and other children to grow and nurture their crop.

“We have six pots there and two are reserved for the children,” Hamlen said. “They grow beans and zucchini there. It gives them a vision of community and teaches them a little gardening and biology along the way.”

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