Grow Food- Grow Hope.

Grow Food – Grow Hope In 2008 the single biggest employer, DHL, pulled out of Wilmington, Ohio leaving the deserted plant behind along with 10,000 unemployed residents. The program Grow Food- Grow Hope was established as a safety net to supply the community with the materials necessary to become educated on where their food comes from and the opportunity to grow their own produce. The program was originally founded by Vista AmeriCorps. As the funding from Vista is coming to an end, the Wilmington College Agronomy Club has jumped on board supporting Grow Food- Grow Hope with labor, education, and technical support. In the past year the Agronomy club has assisted in preparing over 30 garden beds for families in the Wilmington community, assisted with 10 hours of gardening sessions as mentors, and completed over 80 hours of community service. At these gardening sessions members of the Agronomy Club advised neophyte gardeners on the technology of gardening. Along with helping adults in the community, the Agronomy Club also educated children in the class room about growing their own food. Grow Food- Grow Hope has requested that the Wilmington College Agronomy Club take over the functions formerly provided by Vista and AmeriCorps.