Mercer County Food Bank celebrated the opening of their community garden.

Anyone in the community is welcome to visit the garden and pick their own produce throughout the season - which typically ends in September.

The garden is part of the Food Bank's efforts to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, in the fight against food instability.

"I can tell you right now food security is trending the highest it's been in 20 years," said Alexis Spence-Locke, the Development Director at the Mercer County Food Bank. "Right now, the food bank's been trending up 16 percent higher than it was in 2023."

In 2023, the food bank gave out 2.6 million pounds of food.

This includes produce, which the food bank distributed more than 400,000 pounds of fresh produce last year. Through its Harvest Helping Program, the organization is looking to increase that to help supplement the community's needs.

Spence-Locke says that this increase has multiple causes including an increase in grocery prices and rent.

"There's so many things that drive people to needing our assistance," Spence-Locke said. "People always think that come to the Food Bank are always the same all the time... but we're seeing an increase in the working class coming to the food bank needing assistance because their checks just aren't stretching as far as they used to."

The third annual kick-off event featured painting and activity books for kids, and debuted a new music wall built by local Girl Scouts.

This year's offerings in the garden are pizza-themed featuring basil, tomatoes, peppers, and other popular veggies.

With the heat wave expected to hit the Mahoning and Shenango Valley next week, Spence-Locke adds that anyone with a green thumb is welcome to come and lend their gardening skills to protect the garden this Summer.

"If you need it, come and take it," Spence-Locke said.

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