For more than 20 years, students from local schools have helped fight hunger by participating in our Read for Seeds program. This is an annual read-a-thon that links fundraising, education, and community action.

Read for Seeds is a long-time favorite because of its simplicity and effectiveness. After a member from the Gaining Ground community visits elementary school students in their classrooms, the children learn how to raise money by asking for pledges based on the number of pages they read over a two-week period. Students then collect the money, which goes directly toward the purchase of organic seeds for the farm. Read for Seeds pays for almost 70 percent of the seeds needed to grow 60 different vegetables annually.

This year four schools, including Belmont Day, The Fenn School, Nashoba Brooks School, and Thoreau School, raised more than $13,000. All students who participated had the opportunity to volunteer on the farm, where they could see first-hand how their hard work benefited those in need. Since its inception, Read for Seeds has raised more than $120,000 and helped buy the seeds to grow almost a half million pounds of organic produce for hunger relief.