by Blake Harrison
Daniel ’10 and Whitney (Washington) Powers ’09 of Garden Girl Foods are saving the world, one jar at a time.
“God, save me so I can save my family” is a prayer Whitney prayed in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic that she still prays today. What’s come of that plea is nothing short of amazing and delicious.
The Powerses started a small garden with their daughter to bond and grow fresh, organic food to enjoy. Whitney said she found herself struggling mentally and emotionally because of the pandemic and needed a way out. “Anything we do and put love in has to be better than Covid,” she said.
She just didn’t know it would come from an abundance of produce and a recommendation from her grandmother to can the surplus. Their canned foods are part of a renowned brand that’s received national attention.
Daniel and Whitney found their way out through what is now Garden Girl Foods, Garden Baby Foods and Garden Girl Gives, a nonprofit that teaches kids life skills like gardening, food prep and cooking. The NPO has impacted more than 1,000 children. Gardening started as a family activity. Then it became selling jars of food at local markets in Louisville. Word of their made-with-love, organic food spread quickly throughout their community. Then came attention from local media and The Today Show.
Whitney said she struggled not being able to go to the family home – her safe space – during the early days of the pandemic. So she created a new one in the Garden Girl Foods storefront, which became a haven for the Powers family and community.
“People have come to our store and cried, saying ‘thank you – we didn’t know we needed this,’” Whitney said.
The Powerses are working toward build-out of a warehouse/packing facility and a new storefront. As they reflected on their journey, they recounted how they got together and how KWC has provided encouragement along the way. Tory Stanley ’10 has helped them in their business, though they joke that he was no help in setting them up. Daniel and Whitney met her freshman year at Wesleyan before she transferred. She asked Tory, Daniel’s roommate, about her now-husband, but Tory didn’t think they were a good match. More than 10 years, a wedding and a growing business later, Tory might’ve missed the mark. Then there’s “Michael Wade ’80 and the crew,” who have become great friends and advocates for Garden Girl.
Daniel and Whitney have become more involved in KWC recently through events and giving. “There’s encouragement in coming back, and each time we do we want to do more,” they said.
To learn more about Garden Girl Foods, visit www.gardengirlfoods.com.