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Food banks across the country have been struggling mightily the past few years to keep up with the demands posed by a struggling economy, rising food and gas prices, and so forth. And now, food banks in Ohio are teaming up with an unconventional partner to better serve the people that so desperately need the assistance: prisoners.
The Dispatch writes:
A deal between the food-bank network and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction resulted in inmates at five state prisons planting and harvesting corn, watermelons, squash, cantaloupe, cucumbers and winter wheat.The produce will be distributed to the association's 12 member food banks, including the Mid-Ohio Foodbank in Columbus.
Second Harvest paid about $3,500 for seed, fertilizer and packaging. State prisons supplied land and labor.
"There was no expense to the state whatsoever," said Gary Howard, Ross Correctional farm manager. The sweet corn took up just 8 of the 1,200 acres used to grow crops to feed 215 beef cattle and 100 dairy cows on the prison farm. The farm grows no crops for inmates to eat.
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