Responding with Faith to Fight Hunger and Help Farmers

On a recent March morning in Black Mountain, N.C., a dusting of fresh snow covered the ground. But the crowd inside First Baptist Church seemed focused on spring’s promise. 

As the 100 people listened to tips about community gardens and heard from local growers, they explored how faith communities could help relieve hunger and support agriculture in North Carolina. 

The gathering was organized by Come to the Table, a project of the North Carolina Council of Churches that works to feed communities, support farmers and farm workers, and foster a connection to the land. The Council of Churches has contracted with Rural Advancement Foundation International in Pittsboro, N.C., to run Come to the Table. 

A grant from The Duke Endowment to the North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church supports regional Come to the Table forums, which take place every other year. In 2011, the sites included Kenansville and Winston-Salem, as well as Black Mountain. 

“We do it for several reasons,” says Claire Hermann, project coordinator for Come to the Table. “We want to provide knowledge and connections for people who may be new to this or want to expand their ministry. It’s an opportunity for them to come together with people who have resources or experiences. The other thing, and this is just as important, is to provide fellowship and encouragement. It can be very energizing to be with 100 other people who are involved in this type of work.” 

Thinking Local

North Carolina is a leading agricultural state, but the number of farms has been steadily declining. According to the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, the state has lost 600,000 acres of farmland since 2002 – the highest rate of farm loss in the country. 

At the same time, nearly 15 percent of North Carolina families are food insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to food. And, based on a report by Feeding America, one in four young children in the state live on the brink of hunger. 

At Come to the Table in Black Mountain, workshops looked at rural agricultural heritage, community organizing and congregational support. In one session, participants discussed how produce can be made available to low-income families. In another, two Duke Divinity School students spoke about food and faith. 

Some people learned about hunger in Western North Carolina. Others heard farmers talk about why they farm. 

The event continued the next day with field trips to a food bank and community gardens. At The Lord’s Acre in Fairview, N.C., volunteers described how several congregations work together to provide fresh vegetables for area food banks. At Grace Covenant Community Garden in Asheville, 26 families grow food for their own tables and for local nonprofits. About 75 percent of the harvest has been distributed to soup kitchens and food pantries. 

Sharing the Vision

Participants over the two days included farmers and farm workers; pastors and lay leaders; nonprofit and state officials; students and professors. 

“The idea was to get these diverse groups together all in the same place and see what we have in common,” Hermann says. “That’s one of the things that sets us apart.” 

The Rev. Susan Slye Giles, a pastor at two United Methodist churches in nearby Waynesville, N.C., said she attended because one of her congregations is interested in starting a community garden. 

“I left with some good, basic information,” she said. “It was exciting to see how many people were involved.”