Sharing a Harvest: HCAT’s Food Demonstration and Giveaway at Petersburg Public Library
Yesterday (11-25-2024), the Petersburg Public Library hosted Sharing a Harvest, an event led by our new Healthy Community Action Team (HCAT) Coordinator Ruth Frierson. The event was a wonderful blend of community engagement, education, and support, offering a food demonstration, taste testing, and a fresh produce giveaway. 
A Look at HCAT’s Mission and Vision
HCAT is a local initiative dedicated to advancing children’s health by ensuring consistent access to fruits and vegetables. Through interactive activities, HCAT engages children, youth, and families to inspire healthier choices. Their programs include:
- Food demonstrations and taste testing.
- Promoting Farm-2-School activities.
- Establishing Learning Gardens to teach sustainable practices.
- Increasing access to fresh produce in the community.
HCAT’s ultimate goal is to cultivate a coalition of partners to create a thriving, healthy Petersburg.
Event Highlights
At Sharing a Harvest, attendees explored new ways to prepare seasonal produce with recipes highlighting sweet potatoes, carrots, and collard greens. On the menu were these fresh ingredients, creatively prepared for everyone to sample.
The first 50 children who participated in the taste testing received a bag of ingredients to take home, including everything needed to practice the recipes at home. This hands-on opportunity allowed families to extend the lessons learned during the demonstration into their own kitchens.
Get Involved with HCAT
HCAT holds quarterly partnership meetings on the third Tuesday. These gatherings are an excellent opportunity for community members and organizations to collaborate and further their shared mission. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or community leader, HCAT welcomes your partnership.
Together, we can continue building a healthier Petersburg, one fresh meal at a time.
