THE DICKINSON COUNTY FAIR and Salvation Army Bread of Life Assistance Center of Kingsford will host a Seed to Table fundraiser from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 26, at the fairgrounds. From left, Salvation Army Case Manager Jennifer Witte, Salvation Army Director Tara Coss and Dickinson County Fair Board member Beth Bray prepare for the upcoming event. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

NORWAY — The Dickinson County Fair and Salvation Army Bread of Life Assistance Center of Kingsford have teamed up to host a Seed to Table fundraiser on Saturday, April 26.

The first-time event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at the John Degenaer Jr. Administration Building at the fairgrounds on U.S. 8 in Norway.

Entrance fee is five non-perishable items, in exchange for access to seed packets and other growing material.

“With gardening season approaching, it’s the perfect time to bring awareness about food insecurities while getting healthy food to those who need it,” said Dickinson County Salvation Army Director Tara Coss, adding the collaboration came together as part of the Farm & Fairs Hunger-Relief Grant program.

Participants will be able to select from a large assortment of fruit, vegetable and flowers seed packets, along with several sizes of seed starter kits and pots. They will have garden shovels and gloves in adult and child sizes while supplies last. A shopping bag will be provided for their garden selections.

“Sharing the seeds and the knowledge on how to grow a garden will help our community members to eat fresh, nutritious produce, while saving money,” Coss said. “It’s also a good way to help sustain the pantry.”

The Salvation Army has arranged several garden-themed baskets for adults and children to be given away during the event. “We wanted to add something fun as well,” she said.

The Michigan State University Extension will be on hand with educational horticulture material and other programs. “They will also have some fun kids activities,” Coss said.

In addition to talking to community members about Salvation Army services, Coss and Case Manager Jennifer Witte will share their knowledge about other resources in the area.

Many residents are still unaware of the help available, she explained.

“We hope events like these will help lift up the stigma that surrounded pantries in the past,” she said. “Today, there’s no one identifying factor like there used to be.”

Local 4-H youth, she said, have volunteered their time to assist, which will expand their understanding of food insecurities and promote a sense of community and the importance of giving back.

Attendees can visit with fair board members and learn how to become an exhibitor.

“Hopefully at fair time, they enter their produce they grew from the packets of seed,” fair board member Beth Bray said.

They hope to have a separate “Seed to Table” entry, Bray added.

At the conclusion of the fair, all produce entries will be donated to the food pantry. “It will be a full circle,” said Coss.

All the food — fresh and non-perishable items — that is donated from the event until Nov. 1 will be tracked. The results will be reported on grant application.

Bray said she reached out to Coss after learning about the Farm and Fairs Hunger-Relief Grant through the Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibitions, or MAFE.

“I thought it was an amazing opportunity for the fair and community members,” Bray said. “Tara just took off with it.”

The grant is a collective effort between MAFE and Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies to promote agriculture organizations’ involvement in hunger-alleviating efforts. The grant funds up to $750 for fairs and festivals programs aimed at increasing the food supply at local pantries.

“The grant is just a bonus if it’s approved,” Coss said.

Both organizations hope to make it an annual event.

“It’s planting the seed first and so we will see how this first fundraiser goes — if successful, we could possibly bring in additional pantries and resources,” Coss said. “Our goal this year is just to get the seeds out to community members.”

Bray added she hopes everyone takes advantage of this opportunity to not only receive the supplies but learn more about how to grow their own garden.