May 1, 2024
Community involvement

On a recent rainy Friday, a group of Pepper Construction employees from our Indiana office volunteered at Indy Urban Acres, a local non-profit urban farm. We spent the morning getting a little wet and our hands a little dirty while helping to prepare plants for pickup.

Indy Urban Acres has a mission of providing free, locally grown produce to Indianapolis residents experiencing food insecurity. As stated on their website: "We are committed to stewarding equitable access to an abundance of locally grown, free produce for people experiencing food insecurity...We cannot do this work without you."

Christy-Ketserson
Christy Kesterson and Nick Stucker make labels for plant trays. In previous years, the farm - a project of the Parks Alliance of Indianapolis - has grown more than 60,000 pounds of produce. 

 

Pepper volunteer Nic Leblang shared why he was drawn to this organization. "A few years back, my family made a commitment to eat healthier, which led to eating more organic and holistic foods,” said Nic. “And that really got me interested in starting my own garden at home. When I was looking for a place to volunteer, I found the people here at Indy Urban Garden." 

 

Nic-Leblang-pepperconstruction
Led by Nic Leblang, the Pepper crew spent the morning at Indy Urban Acres preparing plant trays for an upcoming sale. Proceeds from the plants sold will be used to fund the farm, which helps feed Indianapolis-area residents in need.

Construction can be a stressful business. Nic and the Pepper team appreciated the opportunity to spend some time working together outdoors while taking a break from their busy schedules. According to Nic, "I love being able to come out here to be in nature. We spend so much time in our office or on jobsites or in our cars that being able to come out to the garden for even a little time helps me feel just a little more ‘connected.’ I love it!"

Pepper is proud to support Indy Urban Acres' efforts to increase food access and we look forward to future volunteer opportunities with them. If you’d like to learn more about how you can contribute to their efforts, visit https://www.parks-alliance.org/projects/indy-urban-acres/.

Dan-Peddicord-Volunteering
Pepper Indiana’s President Dan Peddicord delivers more plant trays for the team as they prepare plants for an upcoming sale at Indy Urban Acres. The farm relies on volunteers to do everything from shoveling compost to filling plant trays to building chicken houses.