Dijana migrated to the Midwest from Bosnia. She says it hasn’t been an easy journey to acceptance for her family, but joining Community Harvest has given her hope for the future. Dijana has found comfort in knowing someone is looking out for her. When her family needed extra support, the weekly delivery of food to her home included diapers and baby wipes for her children. Dijana currently also receives eggs and milk in addition to locally sourced produce and meals. Dijana is thankful for the kindness of neighbors during tough times as she works hard to support her family.

Carla Gornall, NMEP Procurement Coordinator, received a Small Market Farming Certificate from Metropolitan Community College. She currently oversees the procurement of local produce at NMEP. While she was recently driving on highways outside Omaha, she couldn’t help but take in the Nebraskan landscape as huge fields of corn passed her window. Through her education and life experience, she knows how hard conventional farming is on the soil. From using toxic chemicals to not planting cover crops during the winter, the soil pays a hefty price for crops that are majorly consumed by livestock and commercially produced thousands of miles from home. She was reminded of the importance to bolster organic local farming and was proud to reflect on the work of NMEP to grow its partnerships with local producers. Thanks to Carla’s hard work, NMEP purchased 88% of its food sources locally in 2020.

In addition to improving food access in the community, NMEP programs center on providing education and self-sufficiency outcomes for learners of all ages. Edgar Hicks, NMEP Board Member, reminded that learning about the farm to table movement and the importance of supporting local can start at the earliest of ages. He read the book “Before We Eat: From Farm to Table” by Pat Brisson to young readers and encouraged them to reflect on the connections we each share with our food system!

Benjamin is a 12 year old entrepreneur. Recently, he took his passion for farming and expanded his entrepreneurial pursuits. With the help of Sun Valley Gardens, Benjamin started to grow melons and Thai Basil for the farmers market in Omaha. After stumbling upon Benjamin and his produce stand, he shared his love for farming and organic growing practices with NMEP. Because he was so successful in growing delicious basil, NMEP was able to give Benjamin his first large order! When we support educational and entrepreneurial opportunities for youth like Benjamin, we support intergenerational self-sufficiency through food growing and business development.

Jay Wolff and his family have owned and operated the land of Wolff Farms, located just southeast of Norfolk, for over 140 years. The farm became certified organic in 2015. With just over 34 acres of the farm being put into wildlife habitat reserve, the Wolff Family puts an emphasis on promoting life and keeps the value of food safety at the heart of their operation. Over 32 local producers (and counting) like Wolff Farms have partnered with NMEP to supply the produce and food products of Community Harvest. While also bolstering the local economy, these partnerships ensure more neighbors have increased access to fresh, nutritious food. Jay said, “NMEP is a special place with a lot of special people, and we have enjoyed the opportunity to share our produce with them!”