Glen Ridge Girl Scout goes for gold by collecting green tomatoes

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GLEN RIDGE, NJ — Attention gardeners: Girl Scout Camille Azeglio, of Glen Ridge, wants your leftover green tomatoes. Actually, she has been collecting any organic leftover homegrown produce and herbs this season as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project. She formed a cooperative organization called Community Crop Share, where she coordinates and collects her members’ extra organic homegrown produce to donate to local food pantries, such as the Human Needs Food Pantry and Toni’s Kitchen, both located in Montclair. CCS collects any organic homegrown fruit, vegetables and herbs, including green tomatoes, weekly. 

Throughout the pandemic, Azeglio witnessed the surge in food insecurity. 

“When I saw so many people standing in line waiting for free food, I realized that I had to do something to help,” the high schooler said.

She created Community Crop Share to bring the community together to help those in need. Members of the co-op can donate as little as one piece of produce, but when combined with other members, the donation to the pantries can be substantial. At this stage in the growing season, green tomatoes tend to be an item that many growers discard or have trouble finding a use for in their own kitchens. But CCS will gladly be accepting green tomatoes on collection day. 

“We have always received them as donations and our clients like them,” said Eleanor Ode Walter, from Human Needs Pantry, about green tomatoes.

Community Crop Share has also collaborated with Montclair Farmers Market. The farmers from the market can donate leftover produce or produce that might not be fresh enough for the next market day. Azeglio collects this produce at the end of the farmers market on Saturdays and donates to various pantries and shelters in the area.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the Girl Scouts’ highest award and is eligible to Girl Scouts at the Ambassador level. Girls are required to contribute at least 80 hours of work on their projects and should address a need in the community. For more information on how to become a donating member of Community Crop Share, visit tinyurl.com/bdade6d2. 

Photos Courtesy of Lourie Azeglio

  Farmers Market, Girl Scouts, Human Needs Food Pantry, Toni’s Kitchen