Roan Mountain community garden provides fresh produce for veterans

Roan Mountain, Tenn. (WJHL)- It’s a labor of love at the community garden in Roan Mountain.

“We applied for plots that we could grow fresh, organic vegetables to provide to veterans and food crisis so that they’re not eating out of a box or a can,” said Greg Jenkins, the founder of the American Veterans Emergency Response team .

The Army veteran runs the group that oversees the planting, growing and picking of organic vegetables.

“You are what you eat,” said Jenkins. “If we can provide veterans with wholesome organic fruits and vegetables, it helps [their] mind, body and soul to heal.”

The food goes directly to fellow veterans and their families.

“When you’re a vet, you’re a vet. And vets are the biggest brotherhood there is in the United States,” said Thomas Kellum, a member of Rolling Thunder TN-CH. 4. “And so the camaraderie between the veterans is so tight, it’s amazing.”

It’s a daily job, and others like Kellum, who is an Army and Navy veteran himself, pitch in to help.

“The love that was put in this garden. If you see community gardens, they don’t even look as pretty as this garden right here,” Kellum said. “And look at it outstanding. And I’m telling you, I mean, this garden is blessed and it’s going to be blessing the veterans on the street and everything like that.”

Along with the community garden, the organization has several acres of blueberry bushes to give to people fighting cancer and other illnesses.

“It touches me every time I hand off nutrition to another veteran,” said Jenkins. “Every time I hand off a little chunk of mental health to another veteran, every time I hand off just a hand or a shoulder to lean on, it helps me to heal as well.”

Disabled Marine Veteran, Andrew Witt receives help from Jenkins and his team.

“I have seizures. I’m a type one epileptic, and my biggest challenges are [that] I can’t drive, of course, obviously, because I never know when I’m going to have a seizure. And I had a heart attack two months ago,” he said. “I’m a certified master mechanic. But I can’t really work because I can’t be around people’s vehicles with the engine running and have seizures fall off in it.”

Witt says Jenkins is like a brother to him.

“As a fellow veteran, [Greg} wants to give back to his brothers. No matter what branch we are, whether we’re army Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, it doesn’t matter,” Witt said. “We’re all brothers, brothers in arms or sisters in arms. And he does everything in the world. He can help us.”

The American Veterans Emergency Response Team also provides advocacy, helps with housing and even trains service dogs.

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