Plowshares
Feeding Community
by Elizabeth Archer
If Mendocino County were a living organism, Plowshares Peace and Justice Center would be a critical artery. As a truly local non-profit organization, Plowshares is mostly community-funded and supported. Part of its mission is to provide a welcoming environment “where all are treated with respect, justice, and dignity,” a mission it takes very seriously.
Since 1983, Plowshares has fed and empowered our most vulnerable populations. The Community Dining Room and Meals-on-Wheels programs serve over 70,000 meals annually—almost 1,500 a week—to anyone in need, no questions asked. Plowshares also offers Community Service and Work Release Programs, and connects its clients to local resources for work, housing, physical and mental health services, and more. The personal care center gives out items such as soap, toothpaste, diapers, underwear and socks, and pet food; provides a phone and mailing address for clients to send and receive mail; and often offers services like free haircuts.
Although the pandemic has necessitated rapid and constant adaptation, last spring Plowshares was able to quickly implement new safety measures and practices, such as installing a plastic barrier on the food service line, sanitized daily and replaced monthly. They also reduced indoor dining to 25%, now offer to-go options, and provide free masks along with a handwashing station to everyone who enters the building. There was a large increase in clients at the start of the pandemic as people unexpectedly lost their jobs and needed a little extra help, with about 1,000 extra meals per month being served. That number has mostly returned to pre-pandemic levels, but Plowshares remains open and available to any and all who need it.
In fact, Plowshares is offering more than ever before. Thanks to partnerships with the Seventh Day Adventist Church, The Hunger Express, and Interfaith Network, the Dining Room and Meals-on-Wheels are now providing meals on weekends. For the first time in its nearly 40 years of operation, Plowshares is open 365 days a year.
None of this would be possible without two things: community support and dedicated volunteers. According to Plowshares Office Manager, Kristina Keene, “We have one of the most amazing, caring communities, and the support during the pandemic has been unbelievable.” The 14th Annual Empty Bowls fundraiser was converted to a drive-through event which sold out quickly. The Winter Appeal fundraiser blew way past its $90,000 goal, raising more than $132,000. In addition, Plowshares is supported by the T.R. Eriksen Foundation and a Community Resiliency and Preparedness grant from The Community Foundation of Mendocino County.
In order to put every dollar to its maximum, best use, Plowshares relies on its dedicated volunteers. About half of their volunteers were not able to take on the risk of working in a community setting during the pandemic, but according to Keene, “The [remaining] volunteers stepped up to make sure Plowshares was taken care of. Many come in multiple times a week to make sure there is plenty of coverage.” She adds that many of the volunteers who have been observing the state’s stay-at-home mandate are starting to come back into the fold. “We are so happy to see those smiling faces again,” says Keene.
Adaptation didn’t only happen in the dining room. It has also played a vital role in the Plowshares garden over the years, which has undergone a few different iterations and is currently managed by The Gardens Project of North Coast Opportunities (NCO). In 2019, 23 of NCO’s 26 plots were converted to community garden plots, with the other three reserved for Plowshares. Originally, these plots were meant to be co-managed and provide a space to work with clients in the garden, but with COVID-19, those efforts were paused. Instead, community gardeners have been diligently cultivating those beds and donating 100% of the produce to the Plowshares’ kitchen. The relationship between Plowshares and The Gardens Project is built on mutual trust and communication, and the partnership has made each organization stronger, enabling both to offer more services.
Within the Plowshares garden, there are four different languages spoken: English, Spanish, Cantonese, and Nepali. Says Garden Manager, Lucy Kramer, “It’s the most multi-cultural garden in our network, and it’s really neat to see this cultural legacy preserved through what the gardeners plant in that space.”
Each NCO gardener pays an average of $60/year for their plot, which covers land access, water, seeds and plant starts, tools, irrigation supplies, compost, workshops and trainings, and access to a large network of gardeners. “Most people wouldn’t otherwise have land to cultivate, and some choose to grow in a community garden to have the opportunity to learn from their neighbors,” says Kramer. All of the gardeners live below the federal poverty line, and although most were not clients before gardening there, most of them now interact with Plowshares, eating meals in the dining room and taking advantage of the resources available.
As California enters yet another drought season, The Gardens Project is as committed as ever to water-wise policies. It has built underground irrigation systems with automatic drip timers in each of its gardens, including an all-new system at the Plowshares garden in 2020. It encourages watering at off-peak times, growing low-water plants, and using mulch to retain moisture.
The future of Plowshares seems certain: it is a keystone among our area’s support organizations, with tremendous community support and some of the most dedicated volunteers you will find anywhere. However, certain does not equal stagnant, and Plowshares continues to grow and adapt to the changing times. Their next big project is to convert to solar power, with the goal of being fully operational during disaster events in order to provide essential services and function as a community hub with cool-down stations, places to charge devices, and more. This environmentally conscious upgrade will also eliminate monthly utility expenses, saving approximately $10,000 each year, which will be redirected into their service programs. With installation scheduled to start very soon, Plowshares will continue to be a bright beacon of hope and change for years to come.
Plowshares Peace & Justice Center
1346 S. State St., Ukiah
(707) 462-8582 | PlowsharesFeeds.org
Free hot lunch open to all Mon–Fri 11:30am – Noon, Sat & Sun 3:00pm
Early seating for families with children and seniors 65+. Personal care center is open at this time as well, where guests can use the phone and pick up mail and personal hygiene items.
Photo Credits:
Workers behind plastic and dish of food: Kristina Keene
Photo of garden: Lucy Kramer
Elizabeth Archer is an enthusiastic eater and promoter of the local food scene in Mendocino County. She and her husband run Carson and Bees, a beekeeping operation in Ukiah.
