Elks and Rent Party partner to provide fresh food to local families

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — In just one week, from June 26 to July 2, the South Orange Elk Rent Party Garden managed to pick 94 pounds of beets, garlic, green beans, kale, radishes, spinach, sugar snaps and turnips. All of the food grown on the front lawn of the Elks Lodge is donated to the Our Lady of Sorrows Food Pantry for local families. From the 94 pounds picked, volunteers were able to package the food for 111 families.

As of July 2, after only three weeks of harvest, Elks Lodge volunteers had picked 171 pounds of produce and portioned it for 229 families.

None of this would be possible without the tireless work of Rent Party or without the Maplewood Community Garden, which donated lettuce. Also, Boy Scouts from Troop 60 have been helping to harvest and maintain the garden.