Olive's Neighborhood Garden Profile by JV

The purpose of this MDG's action project was to choose an organization that focuses on Millennium Development Goal target 1 which is to Eradicate World Hunger.The topic I chose was to help lower the number of people who suffer from hunger. The organization that helped with this problem was, Olive's Neighborhood Garden who donates their garden-grown food to local food pantries. Olive's Neighborhood Garden works with the Jefferson Park area which is really close to my neighborhood. They have a large staff and are really friendly to their customers. Olive's neighborhood garden has flexible hours so I can volunteer.

BRECKLIN, Andy (2013) Untitled. Olive's Neighborhood Garden.

The topic I picked was Target one the proportion of people who suffer from hunger which is target 1 which is to Eradicate World Hunger.The organization that I chose was Olive’s Neighborhood Garden (Garden for the Hungry).The Garden distributes food grown by neighborhood gardeners to local food pantries. The reason I chose this target was because I think Olive’s Neighborhood Garden knows what they are doing they will help decrease the amount of people in hunger.This Garden addresses to my target by distributing their garden-grown food to people who do not have access to it.To me access  is food which every human being needs in order to survive. The Jefferson Park community also works with the garden. They can donate foods,and clothes to local food pantries too. Olive’s Neighborhood Garden takes care of trying to end hunger. Which would go under the Maslows physiological needs. How many people work at they Olive’s Neighborhood Garden is a staff more than a dozen, plus the community and Facebook helpers. Olive’s Neighborhood Garden opened in May 2008 it is also an award-winning Garden in Jefferson Park. The purpose of the organization is to help people in need for food.

The Garden does grow.Over time they expand more they donate over 215 vegetables and fruits to the local food pantry. I talked to Andy Brecklin who is the leader of Olive's Neighborhood Garden. I asked him a few questions about the organization to get a better idea of it. I ask him why he wanted to work in this kind of environment? Andy said “I grew up in the country so I like growing planting". Another question I asked was,"do you like the community that you work in"? Andy said, “I like this community because they have great delivery. The community really helps us out!” Another question I asked Andy was,"how many staff members do you have"? Andy’s response was “Haha that's funny,we have over a dozen plus the community people who volunteer it’s a whole lot!” Olive’s Neighborhood Garden is really inspiring because they help people in need. They spend their own time helping one another. Olive’s Neighborhood Garden is related to Growing Home because they both donate their garden grown foods to nearby pantries.They both have very small and welcoming staff members.The two organizations are very small but well known.

I learned a lot from this project,I learned that even in the Chicago area there are people without jobs,without food,which is really sad because there are many more in the same situation around the world. I just have to realize all people are not like my family and me. They do not have the basic human needs to survive which is so hard to think about. I think if we all work together as a whole we can help and really make a difference.

BRECKLIN, Andy (2013); Untitled, Olive's Neighborhood Garden

BRECKLIN, Andy (2013); Untitled, Olive's Neighborhood Garden

REFERENCES:

Olive's Neighborhood Garden. (2013) Pictures on Facebook Page. Internet: Facebook.

Pictures used with the permission of Andy Brecklin, garden leader.

Brecklin, Andy. Personal Interview. 16 Sept. 2013.