GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Kids' Food Basket broke ground on their new home Thursday.
"We've already farmed here this past summer, we were able to pull in over 10,000 pounds of healthy produce off the farm this summer," Kids' Food Basket Founding CEO, Bridget Clark Whitney said.
The organization purchased the largest remaining farmland in the city, formerly known as Centennial Farm, at 1919 Leonard Street NE. They will use a third of the land to build a new production and education facility.
"This growth is a real tribute to their energy and their vision but it also is a big leap forward," Meijer CEO and executive chairman Hank Meijer said. "Kids are going to learn about growing food, and we're going to do it right in the middle of town, right on Leonard Street in the middle of Grand Rapids so it's very cool."
Kids' Food Basket Founding CEO, Bridget Clark Whitney said community support has been crucial to their success, and they are already seeing the benefit of their farmland.
"We have already seen incredible impact. In our second year working on our chemical-free, sustainable farm, the harvest has yielded over 10,000 pounds of fresh sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, string beans, tomatillos, and mini bell peppers. The farm has allowed the opportunity to welcome more than 1,000 youth and adult volunteers eager to provide nourishment to children needed to reach their dreams," Clark Whitney shared.
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