Maggie Keller discusses her sustainability work with Project Host

The mission of Project Host is to “[use] food as a tool to nourish the hungry and train the unemployed,” something that I admire in this organization. My name is Maggie Kelleher ’26 and I am a Sustainability Science and Philosophy double major.  I am not sure what I want to do with these degrees as a career yet, but I hope that by taking opportunities such as fellowships, research and other work in the sustainability field, I will be able to find my path.

This summer, I am a fellow with Project Host. I’ve have been doing a lot of harvesting, tending to the garden and learning how I can help in all areas of the program.  What really interested me about this fellowship was the ability to see how food that is grown onsite, along with other purchased food, can be cooked and served to the Greenville community for the greater good through the soup kitchen, culinary kitchen and free lunch programs.  It is so inspiring to see what Project Host is doing for the hungry.

My responsibilities outside of the garden include helping the organization wherever I am needed. I typically spend my morning in the garden and after lunch, I work with a different person every day.  So far, I have done work passing out free meals to a disadvantaged population close to downtown Greenville and learned about other ways the organization helps through food. I am looking forward to working in the soup kitchen and seeing how what I have harvested is used in the dishes there.

Project Host is doing very important work directly related to my own passions. I am majoring in sustainability because of how well environmental and social issues are equally focused on in the field. Project Host is a great example of sustainability because it does good for both the environment and for people.  On the environmental side, the garden at Project Host acts as a carbon sink (absorbing carbon from the atmosphere) and all of the produce harvested from the garden is used to feed the hungry, a huge social issue.

I have really appreciated working with Project Host because I have been able to explore this part of sustainability. Organizations like these do so much good for the community. See how you can help by doing your part in a garden, or volunteering where you are able. It’s amazing to see what can be done with the right resources and the right headspace.