The Rochester community came together this past weekend to celebrate Foodlink’s Annual Fall Festival at the Foodlink Community Farm on Lexington Avenue. The event offered free food, games, and giveaways, drawing families from across the Rochester area to enjoy the festivities and learn more about the farm’s role in the local community.
Foodlink’s Community Farm serves the Edgerton and Lyell-Otis neighborhoods, focusing on resettled New Americans.
“This area in the Northwest hasn't seen a lot of significant investment," said Frank Keophetlasy, Foodlink’s Community Farm Manager. "We started because there was a huge influx of Nepali and Bhutanese refugees, so we partnered with them to create this space.”
The farm plays a crucial role in Foodlink’s mission to fight hunger by supplying fresh produce to programs like the Curbside Market and the Foodlink Community Café, which provide healthy food to underserved communities throughout Rochester.
“I'm so excited to help celebrate Foodlink’s new community farm," said Kim Ferris-Church, Director of Humane Education at Lollypop Farm, one of the event’s sponsors. "They have this really exciting capital project that they're working on and are really bringing the community together.”
Ferris-Church said that partnerships like this are essential for fostering a stronger, more resilient community.
A study by the National Gardening Association found that over 35% of U.S. households now grow their food, contributing to local efforts to address food insecurity.
