COURTLAND, Va. — The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore says there are many families that don't have enough to eat.
In Franklin County, for example, the food bank says 1 in 4 adults are facing food insecurity. It's why the food bank has set up a farm in that community to help families there and across Hampton Roads.
Twenty acres of land are growing more than just produce, according to the food bank. They're growing hope as well as "shucking" food insecurity.
The food bank said Tuesday was the first corn harvest of many in the future. More than 100,000 ears will soon be harvested. In the next two to three weeks, it will go out to different food bank hubs, mobile pantries and local agencies the food bank works with, ultimately feeding 50,000 people.
It's all made possible by a beloved employee of the food bank Izzie Brown, who helped write a grant for the project. Brown's son Morgan says his mom passed away suddenly before seeing the fruits and vegetables of her labor.
"I just think about her vision that she wanted would make her so happy, Brown said. "She wanted to feed people and she wanted to help people and looking at this I just think for years to come a lot of children and less fortunate people will have food and it's just an awesome thing, I'm very proud to call her my mom."
Prior to her death, the food bank says they strived to help a member of their minority farming community for fair and partner-based sharecropping. Elisha Barns, the farmer who will oversee Izzie's field said he's seen many Black farmers face historical barriers, leading many of them to go out of business
Of the 20 acres he will raise, 10 of them will belong to the food bank. The other 10 acres will belong to Barns to Market. He says it's a great partnership and will make a world of difference for him and for others at dinner time, just as Izzie intended.
"I think there are many times when you labor and never get the recognition for what you do so I was elated to see them come to bring that sign up there," says Barns.
Brown's family is still coping with their loss but seeing Izzie's hard work in the form of this field makes them feel as though she isn't too far away.
"I know she's responsible for this beautiful weather that's perfect for harvest and that she's also saying let me get a few ears of corn so we can get ready for Thanksgiving," says Brown's loved ones.
The food bank says they need 100 people to help harvest corn, to learn how you and a group can sign up to help click the link here.
