The Bloomerang Network
In New Albany, Indiana, food insecurity isn’t just a statistic—it’s a daily reality. With poverty rates reaching as high as 48% in some neighborhoods and New Albany High School situated in a census tract with a 15% poverty rate, the need is urgent and deeply rooted. But thanks to community-led efforts like Let Us Learn, that reality is shifting—one garden, one student, and one rescued veggie at a time.
Founded by Gina Brown, Let Us Learn is proof that grassroots innovation can grow big results. What started as a few classes in gardening and nutrition has evolved into a nonprofit reaching hundreds of families, students, and elders across the region.
Let Us Learn isn’t just a nonprofit. It’s a living, growing classroom—one where food insecurity meets intergenerational solutions, and community leadership sprouts from every age group.
Rooted in Education, Grown by Community
Gina’s philosophy is simple: food education should start early and never stop. Her organization’s garden-based curriculum has reached thousands through partnerships with schools, families, and seniors.
Let Us Learn has:
- Built/cultivated gardens at 7 schools—most of them Title I
- Distributed over 30,000 pounds of fresh produce
- Sent 3,000 healthy meals home with students
- Educated more than 50 families on nutrition and cooking
- Played a key role in credit recovery programming by building job skills through garden education
Gleaning With Heart: Veggie Rescue Saturdays
Every Saturday morning, rain or shine, Gina and a team of volunteers show up to collect unsold produce from local farmers’ markets. The food that would otherwise go to waste is brought back to a greenhouse beside the high school and transformed into a free produce stand.
No proof of income. No forms. Just trust.
“Most of the folks who come are elderly,” Gina says. “They just want fresh food. We’re here to give it.”
During the pandemic, a local family in need began receiving veggies from the stand. Today, they’re among its most dedicated volunteers—gleaning alongside their daughter and becoming part of the community’s support network.
An Intergenerational Approach That Works
Let Us Learn is rooted in the belief that learning, leading, and nourishing should happen across all generations. Students grow kale beside seniors. Families volunteer together. Kids try new recipes and teach their parents. The food becomes a bridge, connecting generations, cultures and communities through shared purpose and knowledge.
And for Gina, now 63, it’s a reminder that older adults don’t stop contributing—they simply adapt.
“I’d love to slow down,” she laughs, “but I love what I do.”
Gina transformed ¼ acre of her yard into a Youth Garden in 2020 to teach students outside of school. Then, in the Spring of 2021, she invited families to come and learn a variety of projects—from how to make seed bombs pictured here, and how to build straw towers for growing potatoes.
A Bigger Table
With just two staff members and nearly 70 volunteers, Let Us Learn is proof that small teams can make a big dent in big issues. Gina dreams of building a veggie-forward food pantry open to all. Until then, her impact keeps growing—one class, one garden, one rescued tomato at a time.
