INDIANAPOLIS — In a field next to a church on 24th Street and Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue you'll find the beginnings of a community garden, one started by some of the youngest community members.
"Me and my mom believe everyone should have access to fresh food," Leo, a fourth-grader from Carmel, said.
Leo's mom said they have a garden at home and grocery stores nearby. They've never had an issue putting fresh food on the table, but they realize that's not the case for everyone.
"As a mother of four that doesn't sit well with me, that doesn't sit well with me at all and we want to be part of the change," Lindsey Berry, a volunteer, said.
They teamed up with Martindale Church and are teaching members of the youth group how to garden and grow their own food.
"This is one of the most impoverished economic zip codes," Pastor Ke'tre Dickens said.
Dickens said he works with Second Helpings to provide meals for people in the neighborhood several times a week but right now that doesn't include a fresh fruit or vegetable.
"The meals are wonderful from Second Helpings we just don't have vegetables so we are hoping that this augments what we already do with the food distribution to give people vegetables for their diet," Dickens said.
Dickens said he hopes the benefits go beyond fresh food.
"We want to provide a means of showing the people there is value here as well as give our youth the opportunity to do something other than play video games and watch Netflix to actually learn something that is going to benefit them for a lifetime, generations to come," Dickens said.
So far, it's working.
"They are coming just for that, no pizza party attached, no hangout attached, just coming to experience something new and different," Dickens said.
"Every child deserves to learn how to help the world, themselves and each other and that is what we are here to do," Berry said.
Second Helpings provides single serving meals for Martindale Church. The CEO said those meals do include vegetables but she thinks the opportunity to add fresh fruit on the side through a community garden is a great idea.