Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Landers // Growing Heart.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
After a year (2023) of so much bad news in my personal life between 2 major surgeries, losing an ovary, receiving an endometriosis diagnosis, being in a car wreck with injuries shattering my dominant foot, then being laid off, I started 2024 feeling like I had no purpose.
While job hunting, recovering from the wreck, and continuing my journey as a single mom, I started asking God how to find joy again and to feel like my life meant something more than just existing.
He told me to “start a garden and feed My people.” I did that and very quickly the garden scorched during a weekend I was out of town. I went back to God and asked, now what? He said “bake bread and feed My people.”
Knowing me before Growing Heart, I was the one who would burn bread. So to hear God tell me I was to now become ‘the bread lady’ sounded absurd. I leaned in and decided to trust Him anyways.
I started testing bread recipes and after several failed recipes and multiple months of attempt after attempt at baking a successful, tasty bread loaf, I finally felt confident enough to start letting others outside of my family try my bread.
I began by baking bread while my son was in school, and in bulk, starting with 13-14 loaves a day, and offering them for free within my neighborhood. After several months and baking at most 65 or so loaves, several days out of the month, and a coaching lunch from a friend who had started her own nonprofit, I decided to start formalizing Growing Heart.
God had already been working on my heart to determine the board members, name, ideas, and business plan for months. I needed my confidence to grow in my baking abilities first.
July 27th, 2024 Growing Heart was formalized as a 501c3 nonprofit food pantry, serving Liberty Hill, Leander, Georgetown, & Cedar Park, TX.
We have a garden, a group of volunteers (mostly high school students), and lots of hands on learning at bake shifts every month to provide food for 3 local communities, and any individuals or families within our service bounds.
We provide food to roughly 100 families every month, with 95% of the items we provide being made-from-scratch to put a focus on healthy, homemade food items with organic ingredients where possible.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Our biggest struggles have been funding and sourcing volunteers. We are also looking for additional board members to join our team.
For anyone experienced with grant writing or fundraising, we would greatly appreciate assistance there. We do have our annual Grains & Gratitude event coming up on Saturday, March 28th from 4-7pm. This fundraiser event will be located at Keypoint Church (207 Sonny Drive in Leander), and will have bingo as the main event of the night! More info for this event will be released soon. Follow us on Facebook for more info.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We specialize in homemade bread items. I am most proud of our bagels, lemon bars, and white bread (my greatest baking accomplishment).
What sets us apart from other food pantries is that we provide 95% of the items as made-from-scratch, including homemade hand soap & laundry detergent.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Don’t give up! If God puts it in your heart, that means it IS possible. Trust in Him and keep pushing forward. Continue to do the next right thing and whatever God calls you to, He will help you through. ❤️
Pricing:
- Free food
- Donations accepted (monetary or food/personal care items)
- Market sales (plant starts) is a spring fundraiser
- Homemade food accepted with the necessary labeling provided per cottage food laws.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.growingheart.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growingheart2024/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Growing-Heart-61561863071505/
- Other: https://www.zeffy.com/fundraising/14803a2c-2c13-40d8-9286-4d393aebe67b
