Food Security

The Clarkston Community Center Food Security Initiative provides access to food through a broad spectrum of programs.

Clarkston Farmers Market

The Clarkston Farmers Market builds community by connecting Clarkston neighbors and DeKalb County residents with locally grown, nutritious, affordable foods. The foods offered recognize and celebrate the city’s diverse cultural population and traditions. Vendors include refugee and non-refugee farmers, local gardeners and artisans.

In order to make local food more affordable for everyone, the Clarkston Farmers Market happily accepts and DOUBLES SNAP/EBT benefits.

The Clarkston Community Food Co-operative
The mission of the Clarkston Community Food Co-operative is to be a source of nutritious food for low-income Clarkston residents and to build intercultural relationships and a stronger community around food. Co-op members receive food twice a month from the Atlanta Community Food Bank and other local food organizations. In exchange, members commit to volunteer in the food program.

Cares 4 Clarkston Food Pantry

Through a partnership with the Clarkston United Methodist Church, Oak Grove United Methodist Church and  Clarkston Community Center,  Cares 4 Clarkston Food Pantry, which opened in September 2011, provides low-income families with food and/or clothing once a month.

Community Supported Agriculture

Clarkston Community Center, in partnership with Global Growers Network, offers a twelve-week, summer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program.  The CSA program provides a weekly box of fresh produce, and in exchange, members agree to invest in the growers network. CCC  doubles dollars on SNAP/EBT benefits, thus offering shares that are half-price for SNAP/EBT users while still paying full price to  farmers. Excess produce and shares that are not picked up are donated to the CCC Food Co-op and Food Bank.

Clarkston Community Garden

CCC’s Community Garden includes 27 plots where residents grow their own food. In January of 2012, volunteers planted a large plot specifically to provide fresh, local foods to Clarkston residents in need. When ready for harvest, the food is given to either Food Co-op members, Cares 4 Clarkston Food Pantry or sold at Clarkston Farmers Market.

Food Forest and Edible Landscape

With a vision for the future, CCC partnered with the Clarkston Development Foundation (CDF) and Edible Yard and Garden, and in April 2011 began to implement a plan for a mixed orchard and edible landscape area designed to produce an abundance of food for years to come. Planted on the grounds of the Clarkston Comunity Center on a previously unused hillside and on reclaimed acreage, the Food Forest and edible landscape area near the Center’s main building include fruit trees and shrubs, perennial vegetable plants and herbs. The Food Forest is one of the first of its kind on community property in Georgia. A vital element in the project is an extensive water catchment system which collects thousands of gallons of rainwater for the forest and edible landscape plants. Foods harvested when the plants are mature will be distributed through CCC’s Food Security Initiative programs.