“Poverty-borne problems can be best solved by people within the community where they are found.” This was the philosophy that Cross-Lines was founded on in 1963 when a group of ministers and active citizens joined forces to improve their community. The name Cross-Lines came from the notion that these folks were crossing state lines to provide for the public – standing on the campus you can literally see from Kansas to Missouri. Today Cross-Lines is a nondenominational organization that collaborates with a number of agencies to provide services to the public including emergency rent, food and clothing.
Cross-Lines Community Outreach Garden
Located along a main thoroughfare the Cross-Line garden is an amazing example of an urban farm. The organization bought a restaurant across the street from their campus that was converted into their food kitchen. With the purchase of this site came a small vacant lot, which they were able to turn into a garden. This summer marks the third season of the Cross-Line garden. The garden is on less than a ¼ acre, yet it produces over two tons of food each season. That’s 4000 lbs of vegetables including potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, onions, squash, beets, okra, turnip greens, cilantro, and jalapeños. Carey Sterrett, Director of Emergency Services says that a flood in 1951 created soil in the area perfect for growing.
A volunteer working in the garden.
Carey and a few volunteers are responsible for planting and maintaining the garden. The food that is grown in the garden mainly reaches the community through the emergency food pantry, but some of the produce is sold in the thrift store or used in the food kitchen’s breakfast and lunch programs. Cross-Lines is a truly unique organization because many food pantries are only able to provide food through donations and partnerships, but through the garden, Cross-Lines is able to supplement its food pantry and provide fresh, nutritious food to the neighborhood.
Squash on the vine.
According to Carey, poverty is a health issue and one of the best ways to combat it is through health education. This health education began three years ago when a dietician helped to create simple recipes for using the fresh produce from the pantry. There are also people in the pantry to explain that you really can eat a yellow tomato or purple potatoes or red okra. Starting this summer a Vista project will begin which will bring nutrition education to the community. Fresh fruits and vegetables not only supplement pre-packaged foods, they also add extra nutrition. An easy suggestion from the staff is grinding up zucchini and throwing it in something like spaghetti sauce not only adds important vitamins and minerals, it is also a great way to stretch the sauce. In the future, Cross-Lines hopes to begin canning classes so produce and its nutrition can expand beyond the summer months.
The garden is giving people the opportunity to connect with their food and many who come visit have ‘aha’ moments where they make discoveries about how produce is grown. For example when people purchase potatoes at the market they are clean, so a common ‘aha’ moment is when they realize that potatoes actually grow underground. Carey recalls one volunteer who was extremely excited to see ‘pickle plants’. Carey then explained to the volunteer how pickles were actually made from cucumbers. Cross-Lines wants people receiving food from the garden know exactly what they are eating. One way they ensure this is by using chicken manure as fertilizer and keeping the garden pesticide-free. Supplying people with simple fresh produce and educating them on how it’s grown is one of the many way that Cross-Lines is helping to combat poverty.
Can’t make it to the farm tour? For more information on visiting the garden or volunteering please contact Carey Sterrett at (913) 281-3388 ext 222 or she can be reached via e-mail at carey@cross-lines.org. You can also check out the Cross-Lines website at www.cross-lines.org.
By Megan Richards