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Food Bank, Church Leaders Discuss Raising Crops

Food Bank Faces Shortages

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: February 12, 2008

New Port Richey, Fla. - New Port Richey, Fla. - BY CARL ORTH
SUNCOAST NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. – Volunteer Way and River Ridge Presbyterian Church officials met last night to talk about raising crops to supply produce for the nonprofit food bank, which often finds its shelves bare.

The Rev. Bill Gunter, the church's pastor, said congregational leaders talked Monday with Lester Cypher, Volunteer Way chief executive officer, and other officials of the nonprofit food bank on Congress Street.

Volunteer Way leaders hope to have volunteers growing crops on one or two acres of River Ridge Presbyterian land near the church, which is at 9230 Ridge Road.

"This is going to be awesome," Cypher said today, if the small-scale farming program comes to pass.

In an e-mail message, Gunter wrote of the Volunteer Way request to farm on the church land, "Right now, we're still considering it and have not made a decision yet."

"There are a number of questions we need answered first before going ahead with it," Gunter commented, "things like, structure, zoning, size of project, board members, etc.

"Overall, we like the idea and the meeting went well and so our elders are praying and thinking on it."

Volunteer Way leaders had been considering the crop-growing concept for a couple of years, Cypher said. Then Martha O'Brien, the assistant CEO, "took hold of it" and got the ball rolling, he said.

"She's turned out to be quite a gal," Cypher said of O'Brien.

The crop program would start with a couple of acres under cultivation and might add a few more acres in its second year, Cypher said.

For volunteer planters, the food bank might turn to church youth groups, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, or high school students who must fulfill community service requirements for graduation, according to Cypher.

"It could be a family affair if parents wanted to work alongside their children," he said.

The farming program would need electricity to run irrigation wells, a portable irrigation systems, and fertilizer and seed, among other supplies, Cypher said. Volunteer Way's liability insurance policies would cover the crop helpers.

Expenses for the venture would be kept to a minimum, "probably under $5,000 for everything," Cypher said.

Volunteer Way will approach businesses for funds or gifts, Cypher said. One home improvement chain already has tentatively pledged some gift cards to help buy gear and supplies, he said.

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