Eric Coppe - Co-Founder (2021)/President (2022-2023)

I began my volunteering journey  during the beginning of my Freshman year in high school by joining Building One Community (B1C) in Stamford Connecticut. My role at B1C  I also joined the Youth Group for the my local Community Fund, which involves fundraising money throughout the year and researching institutions to which we donate the money. When I volunteered at different kitchen's through the Youth Group,  I  noticed that typically, there  aren't enough fresh foods in people's diets. This is due to the fact that "unhealthy" processed foods are much cheaper than fresh organic foods in today's world. I became motivated to fully take leadership of Organic Barrow at the end of Freshman year, after I witnessed at the help it was able to provide to people in food deserts. I plan to increase the number of carts in the following years. 

I started helping out the community when I was in 7th grade. My 7th grade year was covid year (2020), when the world was in lockdown, I decided to sell some old clothes online and donate the earnings to our local front-line workers at Post 53 Emergency Medical Response unit. Since then, I have continued to do this and added on other activities that benefit the community around me, such as becoming a junior volunteer firefighter for Darien Fire Department. To expand my volunteer efforts beyond Darien, I joined Organic Barrow to teach lower-income families to grow fresh organic produce and herbs at home with a mission to decrease food insecurity in Fairfield County. 

I started my trajectory as a community volunteer on my high school Freshman year. Since then, I’ve been engaged with a number of organizations that address community needs in different fronts: physical and mental health, basic needs, education, to mention some. But when the Covid pandemic hit in 2020, all of those organizations turned into food pantries. It was evident that food insecurity was at the top of the ailments of low income families. I did evidenced first hand that all of the basic staples distributed in such pantries were dry products and foods. There were no veggies, fruits or fresh food to be seen. Understandably, this kind of products is perishable, and requires special equipment and handling that these organizations did not have. 

But I believe fresh foods are essential and easy to grow. A barrier to growing their own products for most families is the lack of land or space where to plant. That is where Organic Barrow can make a difference. By providing low income families with a wheel barrow that does not take much space, they can do their own growing at home, without the need to go to a community designated space.

We aim to tackle food insecurity and physical health. I know a wheelbarrow is not big enough to sustain a family year round, but I hope it plants a seed to expand their curiosity and desire to grow vegetables, fruits and herbs.

I’ve been volunteering around my community since middle school. Bruno and I are currently a part of Youth Community Fund, which is a high school program that teaches students about philanthropy and the role of nonprofits in our community. This group has inspired me to get more involved and encouraged me to volunteer at numerous nonprofits.

I joined Organic Barrow because I want to help the less fortunate and thought it was an amazing idea that can provide families with fresh fruits and vegetables, that their surrounding stores might not offer. 

During the peak of Coronavirus, I spent a lot of time in my mother’s garden and learned a lot about soil composition and nurturing plants. The best part was eating the harvest and I’m excited for others to have a similar experience through Organic Barrow! 

I began my volunteering journey in my Freshman year of high school. I have focused on volunteering projects and opportunities that are in or near my community. I have been planting and harvesting my own crops for my family for the past couple of years. Once I was given the opportunity to join Organic Barrow I knew I had to jump on board because of the huge impact this non-profit organization has on the less fortunate. 

I began my volunteering journey in my Freshman year of high school. I have focused on volunteering projects and opportunities that are in or near my community. I have been planting and harvesting my own crops for my family for the past couple of years. Once I was given the opportunity to join Organic Barrow I knew I had to jump on board because of the huge impact this non-profit organization has on the less fortunate.