By Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK)
For the past three years, thanks to the gardeners at the Lawrenceville Community Garden, the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) has been supplied with hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables.
What started out as a small personal plot at a community garden has literally grown into a 40 ft by 40 ft field of fresh produce that is grown strictly as donations for TASK. “I enjoy gardening,” stated Anne Ryder, coordinator of the garden donation drive. “At the start [of the donation drive] I would just mainly donate all the fruits and vegetables that I wouldn’t use. As time went on, I noticed that some plots still had food… and I just couldn’t let the food rot, especially in an economy like this.” The next growing season, she asked the gardeners of all the plots to donate any surplus foods that they would not use. “Now everyone chips in. It’s great and everyone is excited to help.”
Today, the Lawrenceville Community Garden makes two to three deliveries of fresh produce each week during the season, which runs from April to November.
“We at TASK are very grateful for this fresh produce,” explains Dennis Micai, TASK Executive Director. “We always prefer to serve fresh foods instead of canned foods because they are healthier. The fresh food donated by the Lawrenceville Community Garden helps TASK save money on our food budget while providing a nutritious meal.” TASK is currently serving approximately 3,750 meals each week.
If you happen to be a fellow Lawrenceville gardener, look for Anne and the yellow flags just north of the Lawrenceville School off on the north side of Route 206. For more information, visit www.trentonsoupkitchen.org.

