World Hunger Relief Inc.

The mission of the Urban Gardening Program at WHRI is to partner with local organizations in developing healthy, sustainable communities through the education and exploration of healthy, sustainable food systems. We also support the Heart of Texas Urban Gardening Coalition (HOT UGC) in many community wide initiatives.

Our vision for the School Gardening Program is to focus on our school gardens as a hub that connects us to the surrounding neighborhoods and broader Waco community. By focusing on our school gardens, we hope to expand the urban gardening program to include more aspects of community development in the neighborhoods surrounding our pilot school(s).

World Hunger Relief is involved with Communities in Schools – Heart of Texas programs at Rapoport Academy, Tennyson Middle, J.H. Hines Elementary, Provident Heights Elementary, and Lake Air Montessori. 

Through these programs, students discover how to grow and take care of both ornamental plants and food crops. These programs get the students involved in the garden with hands-on activities such as planting seeds, transplanting seedlings, watering plants, pulling weeds, harvesting vegetables, and composting yard waste. Students see science in action and learn life science essentials such as the needs of plants, the parts of a plant, and the process of photosynthesis. Gardening emphasizes many of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) objectives across subject areas, and helps students improve health & diet habits, develop communication skills, understand food system issues, and practice good citizenship.

Through our Veggie Van program, WHRI is reaching food desert areas to bring vegetables, which can be purchased through food stamps. With the help of Whole Kids and several other sponsors, we are giving Veggie Bucks to youth participating in the garden program, that they may redeem at our Veggie Van for fresh farm vegetables to share with their families.