There are no words to describe the tragedy of war; its effect on people
and their home.
As always, we want to share our delicious, nutritious, gorgeous
vegetables with families who have come to Utica as refugees of war and
those who live in Utica’s (officially designated by the USDA) “food
desert”.
Thank you to all who have given in the past to our Refugee and
Low-Income Fund.
If you are in a position and are willing to donate $5 to $500 dollars to
this Fund, we welcome your donation. All the money is used cover the
cost of vegetables for these families, and the many families who have
participated have told us how extremely grateful they are.
We partner with community centers who select the families that are most
in need and who are most eager to cook with farm fresh vegetables.
If you intend to make a contribution, let me know, so that we can know
how to proceed with them.
Make Checks Payable to Old Path Farm and mail to: 9148 Butler Rd.
Sauquoit, NY 13456 With gratitude for your generosity, Nancy Grove, Old
Path Farm
For more about the Community Centers:
We have two long-term relationships with community centers in Utica
(below). This summer we will be offering these donated veg shares also
to those coming over from Ukraine.
Although many believe that Refugees relocated to the US are given a
“free ride”, they are not. They are required to pay back their airfare,
and the other forms of assistance that they receive are limited and
short term. They are supporting large families, including elderly and
disabled members, on less than $12K per year. The Midtown Utica
Community Center has been facilitating the distribution of Old Path Farm
Vegetable Shares to refugee families for the past 10 years and they
focus especially on those families that struggle with food insecurity.
These families were forced to leave their homes because of war and they
came to Utica from Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Iraq, Palestine,
Sudan, Somalia, just to name a few of the countries. They truly enjoy
not only the healthy food and the herbs and flowers, but also the
opportunity to visit the farm each week to enjoy the fresh air, the
view, and the kindness of the Old Path Farm family.
The “Catch ‘Em” program is a summer youth academic program for children
on the West Side of Utica. These children have been enthusiastic to the
max during their hands-on field trips to Old Path Farm and are now
growing some of their own vegetables in their Utica gardens. Also, the
program founder and director, Pastor Jamina, faithfully delivers
vegetables to the homes of 17 families every week who are both in need
and who are excited for fresh food. The families are exceedingly
grateful and made use of every single vegetable. We have also received
many reports about “trying new kinds of vegetables”, “vegetables never
tasting this good”, and “feeling healthier and stronger” after a summer
of eating Old Path Farm veggies.
We are excited to continue these relationships and be a source of
vibrant, healthy food amidst our own “food desert” in Utica.
—
Nancy Grove
Old Path Farm
Farm Location: 9035 Grange Hill Rd. New Hartford, NY 13413
Mailing Address: 9148 Butler Rd. Sauquoit, NY 13456
If you know of anyone who would like to be on this list, have them send an email to oldpath-subscribe@lists.riseup
