Katie's Krops Plants Garden No. 55

Hands dark with dirt and wearing colorful rain boots, Katie Stagliano held a near-celebrity status among Pye Elementary's students Wednesday.

The 14-year-old Summerville girl is the founder of the nonprofit Katie's Krops, which feeds the hungry, and she was at the school to oversee the planting of her nonprofit's 55th garden. 

"The kids see her as a role model," Pye Elementary resource teacher Stephanie Baird said. Baird organized the effort to bring a Katie's Krop garden to the school. Her students in the special education program will tend the garden as part of their education. "She's proof you can do anything at any age."

Katie was one of six recognized at Clinton Global Citizen Awards earlier this year.

The Pye Elementary garden has a slightly different model than her other gardens — only a handful of which are located in Summerville and they extend across 21 states. Those gardens typically feed a local soup kitchen. The Pye Elementary garden's produce will go directly to hungry families and children at Pye Elementary.

"I loved the idea because it's classmates helping classmates," Katie said. "It'd be cool if we could do this elsewhere."

Her mother, Stacy Stagliano, was also at the groundbreaking for the garden.

"This is just the beginning," Stagliano said. "If we get the support, we can expand on this."

Before the groundbreaking on the garden, Katie's Krops fed 425 people at a free dinner at Pye Elementary.

"It was a great way to kick off the relationship and announce our plans for the school’s garden. Many of these children rely on subsidized meals during the school year, and the garden will provide healthy meals to the school’s families throughout the year. I could not be more proud of our volunteers and their dedication to feeding families in need," Katie said.

Helping the garden get started, Tractor Supply Co. of Summerville donated more than $1,000 in gardening equipment, Baird said. 

Katie’s Krops also hosts monthly dinners at the Summerville Baptist Church for families in the community. The next meal is 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29. In addition to the monthly meals, Katie now provides direct donations to families and provides vegetables to the Tricounty Family Ministries and Murray United Methodist Church Food Bank.

Click here to find out more about Katie's Krops or to donate to the nonprofit.