Notre Dame Prep students help fight food insecurity through farm volunteer work

Students at Notre Dame Prep in Towson are taking lessons about food insecurity beyond the classroom, helping put fresh food on the tables of families in need.

Dozens of students volunteer each year at First Fruits Farm in Baltimore County, where they help plant, harvest and package produce that is donated to local food banks, shelters and community organizations.

"Sometimes it may seem that these issues are very foreign and not part of your community, but they are present, and it's closer than you think," said Chloe Chang, a junior at Notre Dame Prep.

How the volunteers are helping

On Tuesday, 27 students traveled to the farm to package thousands of pounds of potatoes they helped harvest just weeks earlier.

"There are people who are struggling. There are things to be done. Just taking time out of my day and spending it with other people, doing things for other people, is really important," said Elaina Gredlein, a senior at the all-girls Catholic school. "It is just a great opportunity to be able to do something about what's going on in the world right now."

Notre Dame Prep has partnered with First Fruits Farm on various service initiatives since 2010, giving students hands-on opportunities to make a difference in their communities.

Volunteering at the farm is one of the school's most popular service opportunities, with a waiting list for students hoping to participate.

Two dozen students from the school's AP Environmental Science class worked Tuesday packaging potatoes that will be included in holiday food boxes for neighbors in need. They say their classroom lessons have helped them better understand food insecurity and how it affects communities across Maryland.

"We've learned a lot about how even in a more wealthy state like Maryland, there are still food deserts, and there are still a lot of people that are struggling to make ends meet," said Ella Navari, a junior at Notre Dame Prep. "It's just really powerful for us to be out here and knowing that what we're doing is having a direct impact on those people that are part of our local community."

Stepping out into the community

The school says its mission is to educate young women to transform the world, encouraging students to find causes they are passionate about and take action.

"They're finding ways that they can take the things that they learn in the classroom, take the topics, take the content, and critically engage with the communities around them," said Scott Pomplon, director of social service at Notre Dame Prep.

The work comes as food insecurity continues to affect families across Maryland. The Maryland Food Bank reports that one in three people in the state experience food insecurity. Grocery prices have also risen 34% since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the food bank.

"I think everyone's feeling the increase in grocery costs for sure, but we're committed to serving what we have today with anyone that comes to us for help," said Sarah Fair, volunteer coordinator at First Fruits Farm.

 How First Fruits Farm battles food insecurity 

Founded in 1998, First Fruits Farm partners with food banks, shelters and community organizations throughout the region. The 280-acre farm grows 13 different crops, which are planted, harvested and packaged by volunteers. The farm donates millions of pounds of food each year.

"We want to be able to provide that so that people have dignity. They have something that's really beautiful that they can cook that reminds them of their mothers cooking growing up, or just a classic family meal," Fair said.

The donations support families not only in Maryland but also in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Some have even been sent as far as Oklahoma.

Tens of thousands of volunteers help make the farm's work possible each year.

For the Notre Dame Prep students, the experience is a reminder that even a few hours of service can make a tangible difference in someone's life.

"It's like the most relieving thing when you see all of this hard work, the hours that you spend go to help like real people in need, and I it just gives you a sense of joy that I don't really think anything else can," said Emma Jones, a senior at Notre Dame Prep.