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Furman Fellow Turns Farm Harvest Into Holiday Giving
From left Stefan Yazijan ’27, Kevin Amon ’26 and Summer Marsden ’25 wash and sort kale that was harvested from the Furman Farm. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.
When Neha Bhatnagar ’26 looks at the thriving produce in rows at the Furman Farm, she sees more than what’s on the surface. She sees an opportunity to fight food insecurity for Greenville’s young people.
As one of this year’s Furman Fellows, the neuroscience major is leading an initiative to donate fresh produce from the Furman Farm to Monaview Elementary, a Title I school in Greenville County where many families struggle with access to healthy meals. The partnership builds on her long-standing work with Blessings in a Backpack, a volunteer program that provides weekend food bags for local students.
“They wanted to create their own food pantry so families could come when they needed help, not just food security for the weekends,” Bhatnagar said.
Growing a Partnership
Working with Furman Farm manager Bruce Adams, Bhatnagar has helped plan a harvest event on November 24, when volunteers will gather to collect the surplus of fall crops like kale, chard, spinach, broccoli and mustard greens, and deliver them for Monaview families before the Thanksgiving break.
This effort expands the reach of Blessings in a Backpack through Travelers Rest United Methodist Church. In two years, she’s helped grow participation at Furman from a single volunteer to more than 50, now serving multiple schools in the Greenville area.
“Bruce even offered to dedicate a row of plants just for Monaview,” she said. “That way, the donation can continue even after I graduate.”
Rooted in Service
Bhatnagar’s commitment to health equity runs deep. A Greenville native, she started volunteering with Harvest Hope Food Bank in high school and will be attending the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville after graduating from Furman in May.
“As someone who’s pre-med, I’ve always been interested in healthy access to food,” Bhatnagar said. “Even if it’s just one bag of food, it means a child doesn’t go hungry that night. That’s what keeps me doing this.”
Get Involved
Furman students, faculty and staff are invited to help the harvest event:
Monday, November 24
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Furman Farm (behind the Eco-cabins)
Harvest & Delivery Day
Volunteers will help harvest fresh produce and pack boxes to be delivered to Monaview Elementary for families to pick up before Thanksgiving break.
For details or to sign up, contact Neha Bhatnagar at [email protected].