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E. Emery Market Channel According to Cooperative Christian Ministry resources, Cabarrus County has nine food pantries, including the Salvation Army."' This summary includes key points taken from telephone interviews with food pantry staff members as well as a community garden manager. Interviewees include Mike Wociechowski, Harriett Stafford and Renee Goodnight. Questions were designed to indentify demand for fresh local produce and interest in community gardens. Issues and Themes Fresh produce in demand at food pantry In 2010 Cooperative Christian Ministry served just over 1 million pounds of food, to almost 34,000 people and 11,500 households. This was three percent increase over 2009. The majority of what they serve is nonperishable, although they do glean farmers markets in the summer. In 2010 they served 4,800 -4,900 pounds of fresh produce. "Fresh produce flies out of here. Folks like it very much. And it fits with our goal to serve more nutritious food to folks who can't afford the farmers' market," says Mike Wociechowski. Most food is donated to the organization, which is an affiliate of Second Harvest, Last year they spent less than $5,000 on food. Operation Breadbasket served 1,578 families in 2010. The program does not glean from markets, but receives some fresh produce intermittently from the Society of St. Andrews, a statewide gleaning program. They would like to have more fresh produce to distribute, but do not have storage or refrigerator space to keep it. Community gardens priority in Kannapolis Cabarrus County has one community garden, operated by both the city of Kannapolis and First Wesleyan Church. The city's Environmental Stewardship Commission has made it a priority to support community gardens. The garden is starting its second season, and is renting plots from April 2011 to February 2012. According to Renee Goodnight, a Kannapolis city employee who manages the garden, gardeners ate their produce and donated some of it to the Cooperative Christian Ministry. Goodnight reports there may be a second community garden opening in Kannapolis this spring. Summary People who use emergency sources are glad to get fresh produce. These organizations provide fresh produce to promote health for their clients but cannot find enough supply to meet the demand. Access to fresh foods through community gardens is also limited in Cabarrus County. Recommendations 1. Increase the number community gardens in the County. 2. Build partnerships between these gardens and emergency food pantries. 24 Attachment number 1 1 -1 Page 259