Lincoln's Food Fort expands to give free fresh produce

For the last three years the Food Fort has been serving dinner to underprivileged families throughout Lincoln.

The number of families who need help, keeps growing.

The bright colored bus stops at three different locations every week.

But starting next month, It'll also come with a trailer full of produce.

It's called the Giving Garden and is actually grown with the help of the people who need it the most.

Every week, nearly 200 people get onto the Food Fort bus for a healthy, warm dinner.

Soon, the Giving Garden trailer will be following the bus.

"We will welcome families and kids on to kind of like they're shopping in a produce section,” said Food Fort Executive Director, Michaela Askridge.

Akridge says they've been slowly giving away produce for families that come every week but some people don't know what to do with it.

"We will have everything kind of labeled with recipe cards,” said Akridge.

On Tuesday, they gave out their first vegetables grown for the Giving Garden.

"It's uplifting. It is. It's inspiring, makes me want to help more,” said Dan Helmstadter.

The 12 foot refrigerated trailer will be full of produce grown with the help of the people who have been coming to the Food Fort.

"Having them take some ownership of we've grown this, and now lets take it to our community to share it with them,” said Akridge.

Akridge says one of the goals of the Food Fort was to bring a family dinner table atmosphere to different communities.

And those 10/11 NOW spoke with say that's exactly what it is.

"It's a lot... what they do for people is awesome,” said Helmstadter.

The Food Fort has three stops every week at 5:30 p.m.

In the Clinton, West Lincoln, and Saratoga neighborhoods.

Now because of the need, they'll be adding a fourth neighborhood.

http://www.lincolnfoodfort.com/