Two years ago, Brooks Sumberg retired from the fast-paced retail garment industry and decided to fill part of his newly-found spare time with volunteer work. There were, however, many other people in Fairfield County looking to do the same – and not enough volunteer hours to go around.
Rather than go back to his Westport home and do nothing, he decided to create his own project – the Connecticut Bike Project. And then a second, Harvest Now.
One might wonder what the connection is between bikes and food. But as Mr. Sumberg explained, Harvest Now is a direct result of the Connecticut Bike Project.
“I got the idea to give away good bicycles to needy adults and kids when I was at the Westport dump,” he said. “ I couldn’t believe the number of good quality bikes that people were throwing out”.
He started to collect them, but soon ran out of space at his home. He wrote to Bishop William Laurie of the Diocese of Bridgeport, asking for his assistance in finding people who would benefit from the Bike Project. He also asked him if there was someplace in the diocese where he could store the bicycles.
The bishop had him contact Rev. Seraphin, director of the St. Charles Urban Center, located on the east side of Bridgeport. It was a perfect fit. In a very short time, 1100 bikes were distributed to children and adults (including parolees), who needed a bike as a basic means of transportation..
Harvest Now founder, Brooks Sumberg.
While at St. Charles one day, Mr. Sumberg realized that the center also doubled as a food pantry. “I noticed that the door was closed and there was no food on the shelves.”
Rev. Seraphin explained to him that when the economy got bad, people stopped contributing food to the pantry.
Mr. Sumberg pondered this predicament and realized that not only was there no food in the pantry; but when there was, most of it was canned not fresh, and high in fat and salt – leading contributors to obesity and diabetes. He thought that the best way to bring healthy, nutritious food to the hungry was by growing fresh produce. Now, he only needed to find some land to grow gardens.
He founded Harvest Now in September, 2009, and proceeded to send out 140 letters to churches, temples and universities in Fairfield County explaining the goals of the project (which operates as a non-denominational not-for-profit under the umbrella of Catholic Charities) and requesting a plot of land (and some volunteer) to grow the fruits and vegetables.
Their outreach project underway, ehe members of the Confirmation class of Christ Episcopal Church Tashua, prepare the soil for planting.
Eleven replied affirmatively. Using his finger, hecounted them off. “In Fairfield County, we have 2 from Greenwich, 5 from Fairfield, and 1 from the towns of Trumbull, Newtown and Norwalk. We also have 1 garden being planted in Hamden.”
Mr. Sumberg considers this a “pilot project”– a work in progress. One idea he implemented, so as to not duplicate plants being grown, was to decide what will be grown in the gardens, himself. “Each garden must grow the 4 vegetables that I assign them. If they have room for more, then they can decide what vegetable they want to add.” In this way, overlapping is avoided and a variety of good, nutritious vegetables is the end result..The produce grown will be brought to the Connecticut Food Bank for distribution to food pantries and soup kitchens in the area.
Most of the gardens are planted and cared for by adult volunteers. One exception, Christ Episcopal Church Tashua in Trumbull. has delegated this responsibility to this year’s Confirmation class as their ‘outreach project.’ Under the watchful eyes of their instructors, Sam and Donna Sutter, the small class tilled the soil, added organic nutrients, dug the holes, planted the vegetables and mulched.
Rev. Judith Greene blesses the new garden.
The Church didn’t have enough land for a garden plot, so Rev. Judith Greene, Pastor, turned to the Trumbull Nature & Arts Center and the town of Trumbull for assistance. “The town and the Nature Center have been great,” said and enthusiastic Rev. Greene, as she planted a young tomato plant. “By allowing us to use a garden plot at the Nature Center, it demonstrates the collaboration between the town, the Nature Center and the Church. It truly brings home the feeling of a community church.”
The plants selected by Mr. Sumberg for the Trumbull garden are cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants and sweet potatoes. And because there is room, green beans were added to the garden mix by the group.
“Brooks Sumberg has a vision,” Rev. Greene reflected. “He wants to help the disadvantaged by giving them fresh, nutritious vegetables – something not many of them can afford.”
Holes are dug and the vegetable plants are planted.
After blessing the newly-planted garden, Rev. Greene’s gaze scanned the plants. “Hunger is not a Christian virtue,” she said. “But giving the gift of nourishment is. The bounty of the earth should be given to all God’s people.”
And if Brooks Sumberg has anything to say about it, all the people will be fed.
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