The Tulsa branch put a horticultural twist on CommunityCare Day, cleaning out and replenishing ‘growtainers’ at the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma to prepare their indoor farms for the next round of hydroponically-grown produce. The team also used old lettuce and other expired food items to create a vegetable compost, which will provide the soilless plants with minerals necessary for healthy growth.

The food bank serves as a distribution center that provides basic groceries to over 360 emergency shelters, soup kitchens, senior citizen centers, and after-school programs in the eastern Oklahoma region. In an effort to distribute more fresh produce to their partner agencies, the bank recently outfitted two shipping containers as hydroponic farms to grow fruits and vegetables year-round. Growing produce consistently and locally cuts down on delivery times for perishable items, limiting food waste while increasing access to higher-quality options.

The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma delivers more than 450,000 meals throughout the region each week. To learn more about how you can join them in their fight against hunger, please click here.