Katie's Krops: Teenager Katie Stagliano 'Grows It Forward' To Help the Hungry
When she was just 9 years old, Katie Stagliano planted a cabbage seed in a garden outside her house. She cared for it every day by watering it, weeding it and giving it plant food. It grew to be HUGE! Forty pounds huge!
Katie wanted to do something special with this very unique cabbage. With her mom’s help, she decided to donate it to a local soup kitchen to help feed the hungry in her community of Summerville, South Carolina.
When she arrived to make her donation, she saw a long line of people waiting for food. Then, Katie served her cabbage to the guest. As the many people thanked her, she knew she could and should do more to help.
With the help of her parents and school, Katie’s Krops was born! Katie’s Krops plants gardens to grow food that is donated to local soup kitchens to feed the hungry.
Katie’s dream is to end hunger around the world. So, after she created several gardens in her community, she decided to do more. She wanted to help other kids create gardens in their communities!
There are now over 100 Katie’s Krops gardens growing across the United States! All of the gardens are led by kids between the ages of 9 and 16. They have donated thousands and thousands of pounds of fresh produce to people in need!
Meet Katie and hear her inspiring story in the video below. Then, read on to learn what you can do to fight hunger in your community.
Additional Resources:
- Here is a link to the Katie’s Krops website
- Here are some incredible facts that show how big a problem world hunger is
- Check out other IMK stories on kids who are taking on hunger in their communities and other inspiring girls and women
- Still need more inspiration? Read our lists of responsibility quotes for kids and empathy quotes for kids
- Here is a great list of children’s books about Hunger
Topics for Discussion:
- Why is Katie so passionate about hunger? What inspired Katie to do something about hunger and take action?
- What problem(s) are you passionate about?
- What values does Katie exhibit?
- What causes people to go hungry in the United States and around the world? What can we do to stop the problem in the long term?
- Are there hungry people near you? How might you help them?
Take Action:
- Join Katie’s Krops and start a garden to impact hunger in your community. Apply for a grant at Katie’s Krops to get started.
- Here are other suggestions on things kids can do to end hunger
