by: Carina Branson, Mike Mahoney
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — One Wichita woman is taking the fight against food insecurity right to her front yard.
Just a block south of Wichita State University, Cynthia Pizzini has turned her lawn into a thriving community garden.
“We have a lot of well-known, inexpensive convenience stores in the neighborhood,” Pizzini said. “I kept seeing kids going in and thought, ‘Is that all they’re eating? Processed food?’”
Originally, Pizzini planned to grow a personal garden. But as she looked around her neighborhood, she realized more people needed access to fresh, healthy food.
“The work was going to get done anyway,” she said. “So everyone should enjoy it, not just me and my husband.”
Though still in its early stages, the garden is already off to a strong start. Pizzini is receiving guidance from Sarah Myers, a graduate of Kansas State University’s Research and Extension Master Gardener Program and founder of ICT Treehuggers, a nonprofit that promotes sustainability through gardening and tree planting.
“Gardening is a lifelong practice,” Myers said. “This is a beautiful start to dropping a seed of inspiration for the whole block. I’d love to see a home garden at every house in every hood in the 316. Congratulations!”
The garden will include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, leafy greens, and more, with produce expected to start growing within one to three months.
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This article was republished here with the permission of: KSNW-TV