SAN MARCOS–In collaboration with North County Community Services, Charity Wings Art and Craft Center in San Marcos is initiating a Community Food and Art Garden at its facility.
The garden has as unique concept in that it will be a place for the community to volunteer and learn about gardening while producing 8,460 meals a year for the fight against hunger. The first beds will be installed on March 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 287 Industrial Street in the North City area of San Marcos.
Wings’ Executive Director Elena Lai Etcheverry, Master Gardener Stan Miller, Glass Artist Rob Morey, and Community Activist Jacob Angelo have been instrumental in launching the garden project which is planned to have 27 beds each producing 360 meals a year.
Fresh vegetables and fruit harvested from the garden will be donated to North County Community Services for distribution to families and individuals through the ongoing Food Bank program. There will be opportunities for artists and the community to contribute to the garden through sculptures, mosaics and other forms of artistic expression. Future plans also include a brick oven to host “farm to table” events for the community to learn about healthy living.
Sponsors are still needed for this program. Corporate or private contributors are encouraged to fund one or more raised beds at $400 per bed. Currently nine beds have sponsors. Artist Rob Morey will create a fused glass plaque for each sponsored bed with a company logo or family name which will be gifted to the donor at the end of one year.
Prospective sponsors will find more information and can directly support the garden project on the Charity Wings website at charitywings.org/community-food-and-art-garden/.
