Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
                                                                                                         February 21, 2004
                                                                                                         Section: Metro
                                                                                                         Edition: NORTHEAST
                                                                                                         Page: 1B


                                                     A growing movement

                                      A Euless landscaper is spearheading the planting
                                     of community gardens to benefit local food pantries.  
                                   by TERRY LEE GOODRICH, Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Toting shovels and pushing wheelbarrows of dirt, a group of people bent on feeding the hungry will
trek two miles down a Grapevine access road, then stop to plant a vegetable garden in Euless next
week.

Feed by Grace, a new aid program headed by landscaper Neale Mansfield of Euless, will plant
winter vegetables on 8 acres at the Texas 121/Cheek-Sparger Road intersection Feb. 28. The
organic garden will be the first of about 10 planned for Northeast Tarrant County, and the produce
will go to area food banks, Mansfield said.

About 100 volunteers will walk and help with the first planting. Mansfield is seeking more, as well as
businesses and individuals to sponsor each volunteer. Money will be used to buy plants and
lumber for the raised gardens.

Feed by Grace participants, many of them volunteers from churches, will provide labor for upkeep,
such as weeding and watering. Mansfield's landscaping company, Living Vine Landscaping of
Euless, will harvest the food.

"We'd eventually like to go to inner-city Fort Worth, too, to help people who are going to food
banks. We want to install gardens in their back yards and let them raise their own," Mansfield said.

One recipient of fresh produce will be GRACE, formerly Grapevine Relief and Community
Exchange, a charity that usually receives canned- or dry-food donations.

"When you give an apple or banana to a small child, you see their eyes light up," said Rusty
Thigpen, pantry services director for GRACE, which also offers rent assistance and other services
to the needy.

Many volunteers for next week's planting and walk are teens from area churches who have also
enlisted sponsors for the walk. They are involved in World Vision, an international youth movement
to aid the hungry, and some of the money raised will go to that.

The walk will start on Hughes Road on the southeast side of the Hall-Johnson Road/Texas 121
intersection and proceed south.

Other vegetable beds will likely be on business properties, church and private-school grounds, and
residential yards. Spring vegetables will be planted soon, Mansfield said.

He said area companies are donating some starter plants, and he plans to buy more at discount
prices. No license is required by the Texas Department of Health as long as Feed by Grace does
not get involved in food processing, state health officials said.

The Rev. David T. Freeman, pastor of First Assembly of God in Euless, said church members are
pleased that the first garden will be at the site of the congregation's planned new sanctuary.

"We know it's not the total solution to hunger, but I think it's part of it," Freeman said. "We're going
to have multitudes of corn and squash and tomatoes and beans. It will be a great blessing to the
hungry."

Walk for hunger - The Feed by Grace Hunger Walk will begin at 10 a.m. Feb. 28 at the Feed by
Grace office on Hughes Road in Grapevine, southeast of the Hall-Johnson Road/Texas 121
intersection. Those interested in walking or sponsoring may call (817) 310-5031 or meet at the site
that day.

Terry Lee Goodrich, (817) 685-3812 tgoodrich@star-telegram.com
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Copyright 2004 Star-Telegram, Inc.