Since LaFarm was founded, one of the pillars of its mission has been to help address issues of food insecurity and injustice in our local community. For 10 years, one of the main ways we worked toward this complex goal was through our participation in the Veggies in the Community program, or the “Veggie Van.” For 11 weeks in the summer students would drive down to 7th and Pine in the West ward and distribute pay-what-you-wish vegetables to community members.
In 2022, with the establishment of the new West Ward Farmer’s market, it was time to rethink Lafayette’s role in addressing the crucial issue of food insecurity. Taking the lead from faculty and student research, as well as community partner feedback, we decided the best way that Lafayette could help the community was to help the community help itself. In 2022, this meant playing a supporting role in the establishment of the West Ward Market by providing produce through our partner organization the Kellyn foundation and having our new farm fellows help with set-up each week. The fellows also provided educational materials each week at the market, including a free “veggie of the week” along with recipes.
Outside the West Ward Market, we contributed produce to a number of different food pantries through our partnership with the Easton Hunger Coalition. We also had a pop up stand at the Easton Farmers Market for Strawberry Fest, and hosted a summer camp for elementary school students to learn all about sustainable agriculture.
From local to global, LaFarm also tried to do our part to help in one of the international crises of 2022. Through “Sunflowers for Ukraine,” LaFarm partnered with members of the local Ukrainian community to plant seeds of hope alongside Lafayette students, staff, and faculty. In the fall, we held a pick your own sunflowers day, where visitors could pay whatever price they wanted, knowing that all the money went towards humanitarian aid for Ukraine.