KILLEEN, Texas — Families in Crisis has served more than 700 citizens through their non-profit giving local homeless and domestic violence victims a place to eat and heal.
“We do see a higher disproportionate number of people with diabetes, cholesterol issues, heart disease, blood pressure problems. Good nutrition is a part of healing and we try to do that,” Executive Director Suzanne Armor said.
Armor adds what is normally available through her non-profit comes with a lot of carbs and sugar. With vegetables hard to come by, she’s grateful for the fresh vegetables at the Killeen Community Garden.
“We’ve had squash here, potatoes, onions, carrots, peppers, okra,” cook Arsean Session said.
The community garden was started in 2008 to educate the public about gardening. There are rows of vegetables, fruit trees, and flowers. The master gardeners have put in 2,400 plus hours of volunteer work to help serve the community. Last year they gave away 8,400 pounds of food through the homeless shelter.
“In the summer months, May June, and July we donate twice a week,” master gardener Dave Slaughter said
Even with the weather jumping from hot to cold and back in recent weeks, the garden has not been negatively impacted thanks to heavy mulching, compositing, and fertile soil.