The Sharing Project: Teens Plant Gardens for Families In Need
As a young child, Matthew Borinshteyn loved planting seeds on his back deck and watching plants grow. Two years ago, he and his mother decided to build a vegetable garden in their Mendham backyard and have enjoyed two bountiful harvests.
Harvesting produce at the Chester Community garden from left to right: Matthew Borinshteyn & Michael Churikov
The Sharing Project volunteers from left to right: Top row: Anna Goldgrish, Michael Churikov, Matthew Borinshteyn, Geervan Bhattacharjee; Bottom row: Elizabeth Evdokimov; Matthew Goldgrish; William Wang; Missing from the photo: Gairick Bhattacharjee
So when Matthew was faced with the challenge of what to do for his Learning Service Project for his rigorous IB (International Baccalaureate) program he wanted to take on a challenge that involved his passion for gardening, and also that was beneficial for those in need. High school students are often involved in food drives for local food pantries, and Matthew, like most teens, contributed to these food drives, but he wondered, “if we all are trying to ensure healthy nutrition based on vegetable and fruits, why do we provide families in need only canned foods and other non-perishable items?” Matthew felt people should be able to have healthy food on their table, regardless of income, and so, “The Sharing Project” was born. Its mission: to grow and share fresh produce with families in need. Matthew joined efforts with his friend Matthew Goldgrish, also of Mendham, to make this dream a reality.
The Matthews reached out to our local food pantries, who said that they’d gladly accept produce and distribute produce donations. Initially, the idea was to grow the produce at the school garden, but the project grew, and the garden was too small, so the young men engaged local gardeners and farmers to get more crops growing for donations.
This enormous undertaking met many hurdles, with Covid-19 disrupting the school year, and access to the school garden beds. Social distancing adding more difficulties in working together, yet Matthew and Matthew carried on. They held a very successful plant sale, and also received donations of tomato cages and other gardening supplies, Local gardeners joined the effort, sharing knowledge, labor, and land so the project could grow.
The Sharing Project, only a few months old, has accomplished so much. They planted over 250 tomato plants, over 70 pepper plants, and over 15 squash and pumpkin plants in 5 gardens. They gave away over 150 seedlings to 18 local gardeners in Mendham, Chester, Randolph, and other surrounding towns so The Sharing Project gardener and student volunteers could tend to the plants, and grow crops for donations.
On June 16th The Sharing Project made their first contribution to the Chester Mendham Food Pantry offering fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, and lettuce to forty families. From there – they made multiple contributions of fresh different fresh produce to those families.
To get involved, please email: TheSharingProject2020@gmail.com
Follow The Sharing Project on FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/The-Sharing-Project-100773538293471/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Article by Emily Hourihan.