Barnabas Center introduces a new initiative to help community members grow fresh, healthy food at home.
With support from the Florida Blue Foundation, Barnabas is distributing “Grow Bags” to households in need. This project will provide families with the knowledge to cultivate their own nutritious ingredients, supporting the broader Barnabas Center mission of addressing food insecurity in Nassau County.
The initiative features four different grow bags, each containing everything needed to create a homegrown salad. The bags include a variety of seeds and starter plants such as basil, tomatoes, parsley, peppers, onions, radishes, mixed lettuce, arugula, romaine, carrots, and spinach. Participants will also receive simple step-by-step instructions to ensure a successful growing experience, making it easy for anyone, regardless of gardening experience, to enjoy fresh produce at home.
Bag distributions are in conjunction with upcoming food distributions, including Saturday, March 8 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center, 1200 Elm St., Fernandina Beach; March 17 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Northeast Florida Fairgrounds, 543378 U.S. 1, Callahan; March 18-21, 10 a.m. to noon at the Barnabas Center Food Pantry, 1303 Jasmine St., Fernandina Beach; and at the pantry March 24, 10 a.m. to noon if supplies are still available by then.