Feeding the hungry is an issue all over the world, including Waynesburg.

The Corner Cupboard Foodbank has had a mission, since they were founded in 1992, to feed the hungry by distributing food and grocery products, according to the organization’s website.

Adding to that mission, the Foodbank is making progress on a recent project.

They have constructed a community garden, an addition to their multiple food programs, according to Executive Director Candace Tustin.

“It’s a really great addition,” said Tustin. “The garden is meant to educate clients and community about learning self-sustainability.”

The construction of the garden began last fall by university students as a part of the freshman service project.

“We have five raised beds built by Waynesburg University students and volunteers in the area,”

said Tustin.

As a part of the day of service this year, university students helped build three new beds.

However, the development is not done.

Tustin wants to keep adding onto the garden, which is across the street from their location at 831 Rolling Meadows Road, by the Greene County Historical Society.

“There is no end date [for the garden] in the future, but I want to keep adding to it,” said Tustin.

According to its website, Corner Cupboard has four different programs that help feed hungry people in the community.

They have Emergency Boxes designed to be used only once to help people in immediate need of food, and Food Pantries designed to distribute food once a month to families or individuals that meet specific income guidelines for food assistance. They also have Senior Boxes, which is a federally-funded program which helps improve the health of senior citizens.  Senior citizens, 60 years of age or older, who meet the income guidelines receive a box of healthy food once a month.

The fourth program Corner Cupboard emphasizes is the Kids Bag program, which aims to help feed children during times of great hunger risk, such as holidays and summer breaks.

Already, the community garden is making a difference.

Some of the vegetables at the garden, are in the process of being put into bags and being distributed at the end of the harvest season, according to Tustin.

According to Tustin, the community benefiting from the garden has been the greatest help in constructing the garden.

“A lot of community involvement was a big incentive for this project,” said Tustin.

The Corner Cupboard Foodbank’s website states the importance of its volunteers and donors, which are equally important in carrying out the mission of the foodbank.

Information about the foodbank, volunteer opportunities or the community garden, is available on the Corner Cupboard Foodbank’s website at cornercupboard.org or call 724-627-9784.