A partnership between N.C. Cooperative Extension, Union County Center, Wingate University and The Society of St. Andrew helped provide fresh produce to local families while creating hands-on learning opportunities for students.
Local Partnership Connects Agricultural Education with Hunger Relief
(Updated: June 25, 2026, 5:24 p.m.)
Earlier this year, Aaron Moore, N.C. Cooperative Extension Commercial Horticulture agent, taught Wingate University students about potato production. Students learned about crop management and production practices through a demonstration planting, while Extension staff maintained the crop through harvest.
When the crops were ready for harvest, volunteers with The Society of St. Andrew coordinated the collection and distribution. Together, 471.8 pounds of potatoes and 140.2 pounds of onions were donated to organizations serving individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Union and Mecklenburg counties.
The harvest was distributed through local nonprofit partners, including the Union County Community Shelter and organizations in Charlotte such as Beauty for Ashes and a Seventh-day Adventist Church food pantry. Volunteers Robin, Joe and Larry helped transport and deliver the produce, ensuring the fresh vegetables remained within the local community.
For Aaron Moore, the project represented more than a crop harvest. It gave students the opportunity to apply classroom concepts while seeing how agriculture can directly benefit their community.
"This partnership has been an incredible opportunity to bring hands-on agricultural education to life for the Wingate students. Growing and caring for this crop, and then collaborating with The Society of St. Andrew volunteers on harvest day, bridges the gap between learning and community impact. It's incredibly rewarding to know that our collective hard work is putting fresh, nutritious produce directly onto the tables of families who need it most."
"Through the power of volunteers and local partnerships, fresh produce is rescued from farms and delivered to agencies serving our neighbors in need. These efforts strengthen hunger relief programs, improve access to nutritious food and help build healthier communities. My favorite comment from the agencies receiving freshly harvested produce is, 'It doesn't get any fresher than this!'" - Maria Gandy, Western NC and SC Program Coordinator for The Society of St. Andrew
The project also gave Wingate University students the opportunity to connect classroom instruction with real-world agricultural production. Gena Moore, Director of the Agricultural Food Systems Program and biology instructor at Wingate University, said experiences like this help students develop critical thinking skills while understanding the broader role agriculture plays in serving communities.
"Experiential learning in agriculture is key because it requires the development of critical thinking skills. Transitioning topics from the classroom onto the farm brings information into a real-world situation."
Rather than simply reading about crop production, students planted, maintained and harvested the crops while seeing firsthand how their work benefited others.
"One thing that makes a difference for the students is knowing that the harvests matter. Our produce is primarily used in food pantries across Union County and the greater Charlotte region. When students do their best, more people are fed. That's a great motivator for learning."
Building on the success of the project, the partners are exploring future plantings of seasonal crops, including collards and turnips. Expanding the partnership will provide additional educational opportunities for students while increasing the availability of fresh, locally grown produce for hunger relief organizations.
By connecting research-based agricultural education with community partnerships, N.C. Cooperative Extension helps prepare future agricultural professionals while increasing access to fresh, nutritious food for North Carolina communities.
N.C. Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity institution and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color or national origin, including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics; sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy or related conditions; age; disability; genetic information; religion; veteran’s status or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
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