MISSOULA – A local business is giving back to the community to help feed the hungry.
Jennifer Rushing and her husband Kaleb started their business, New Life Microgreens, always knowing they would use it to help the people of Missoula.
“The founder, Kale, was raised by a single mother who relied heavily on programs such as the food back to provide nourishing food for her family,” Jennifer said. And so it’s important for us to able to take every opportunity we can to give back to the community.
Now, they’re doing just that. For the last two weeks, they have been donating nutrition-rich microgreens to both of the Missoula food banks.
Microgreens are vegetables harvested anywhere between seven-to-12 days after being planted.
“[B]roccoli microgreens…tend to be anywhere between 40 and 45% more nutritious than their full-grown counterpart because it is that nutrition-packed burst of life at the beginning of the stage,” Jennifer explained. “We grow everything from broccoli, leek, colrobby, spicy daikon radish — lots of different varieties.”
Tracy Hull with the River of Hope Food Bank in East Missoula says their contributions have been vital and are very much appreciated.
“As our food bank is growing we are just so thankful for the food items that are being donated, especially for establishments like micro growers because fresh vegetables are just so important in a person’s diet,” Hull said. “And that is one of the harder commodities for us to get in the food bank.”
As they expand their business, the couple plans to hire single parents and veterans to help with their venture. When they have a larger facility to work with they even plan on providing free childcare for their employees.
You don’t have to be a microgreens grower to donate fresh vegetables — anyone can make a donation to local food banks.
Reporting by Lauren Heiser for MTN News
