Karen Day and McCabe Coolidge

Karen Day and McCabe Coolidge spoke about food and the importance of its availability to everyone (PLENTY). Throughout their presentation to the Rotary Club of Floyd members they intertwined their past experiences and experiences shared with them by others about food and the impact of the lack of food on their lives. These experiences have directed them to be active innovators, participants and promoters of programs like: Empty Bowl Project that provides Back Packs of food to qualifying students each Friday so that they will have food over the weekend; Healthy Snacks for Hungry Kids that provides snacks so that all children in the elementary schools may have a snack during snack time; Grow a Row / Share a Seed encourages people with gardens to grow an extra row of food and contribute the food to the distribution house located next to the Mexican Restaurant in Floyd. This food is then distributed in two ways, either through Community Action or through Plenty Portable Produce. Plenty Portable Produce delivers the food to the homes of people who cannot get out. Our Daily Bread in Blacksburg contributes bakery products every Monday. People’s pets are also provided for through the Humane Society. These projects fit nicely with the Rotarians and their activities as they support the food bank at Community Action and recently got a grant from District Rotary for the Back Pack Program.

These programs are under the umbrella of Floyd County Cares. Their website is www.plentylocal.org.