Students in Macon take part in food forest project

Effort tied to community food access initiative

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)- Students at John R. Lewis Elementary in Macon are taking part in a hands-on effort focused on food access in their community.

The activity is part of the GROW program, led by the Georgia nonprofit SHAOME Cooperative.

Through the program, students planted a food forest on Thursday as part of a learning experience centered on food security, sustainability, and community impact.

Chelsea McClain, CEO of SHAOME Cooperative, said the process involves building layers to support long-term growth.

“We put six layers, either below or between the trees, to completely cover the ground. That creates an ecosystem. And when that ecosystem is established, which usually takes about three years to get fully established, humans can literally walk away, and it will continue to produce food,” McClain said.

McClain said the organization hosts similar events at multiple schools in the area to promote sustainability.