Last May, a bipartisan group of Pennsylvania legislators helped plant 2019’s Capitol Hunger Garden. This 1000 square foot vegetable garden, located on the Capitol grounds in Harrisburg, was created 10 years ago by the bipartisan Legislative Hunger Caucus to raise awareness of hunger issues in the Commonwealth, one of America’s richest agricultural states.
It is estimated that 1.6 million Pennsylvanians are food insecure. 174,000 of those people live in Allegheny County, including 42,000 children. This garden serves as a “visible reminder of our commonwealth’s true commitment to ending hunger in Pennsylvania,” said Jane Clements-Smith, executive director of Feeding Pennsylvania.
Representative Jake Wheatly of Allegheny County Co-Chairs the Legislative Hunger Caucus. “Hunger and food insecurity is one of those issues that we as a society, we as a government should end,” he said.
The garden is tended by volunteer Master Gardeners and occasionally, lawmakers. It has produced more than 800 pounds of vegetables that are donated to food banks, pantries and local soup kitchens. 12345678910