Food to Me - Avery McHenry

Growing up food has always been a part of my daily routine, and I have never gave much thought to it. I would eat when I was hungry, cook whatever I wanted, or even grab something quick going out the door. I have never had to question where my next meal is coming from. My view all changed when I first started to volunteer with the Salvation Army doing grate patrol in Washington DC. For those who do not know, grate patrol is when volunteers drive in a van and hand out dinner to people in need in familiar locations every single night. 

I still remember the first night I went in the van and had no idea what to expect. The van was full of sandwiches that my school helped make and donated, as well as soup and hot chocolate. We drove through the city streets after dark stopping at seven different locations where people in need gathered for food. At first I simply thought we were just handing out meals, but as the night went on I soon realized it was much bigger than just handing out meals. Food is much more important than that it provides a feeling of acknowledgment and care. Seeing how food effected people's moods and how happy it made them stuck with me. After we finished up passing out the food that night and hearing how passionate all the other volunteers were about what they do I learned how important it is to give back to your community. Food is not only fuel for the body, but also a symbol of community and humanity.

That is why I was so happy to get the chance to work with BattleField Farms through my English class at the University of Tennessee. Battlefield Farms focuses on giving fresh produce to those in need for free. East Knoxville has at least 18 food deserts where there are no fresh produce or grocery stores in a mile radius. This is such a big problem because not everyone has a car that they can get into and drive to the nearest store. Working with Battlefield Farms has again deepened my understanding of the shared humanity between us all and how important it is to give back.

Now when I think of food, I think of the process people go through to get food and how it is not nearly the same for everybody. Food insecurity is a huge problem not just In Washington DC and East Knoxville but a problem that people face all around the world. I am so glad that my experiences have made me zoom out and realize to not take food for granted and how important it is to help your local community.