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Don’t waste that leek: How this RI organization saves 1 million pounds of food from waste

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Don’t waste that leek: How this RI organization saves 1 million pounds of food from waste


LITTLE COMPTON – As it rained and rained and rained this summer, the weeds took advantage of the abundance.  

For the most part, Silas Peckham-Paul and the crew at Wishing Stone Farm in Little Compton fought the battle well, but there was one row of leeks that they got to just a little late.  

To an untrained eye, the leeks were still perfect. But to those who know, the weeds had choked out the leeks just enough that they were on the skinny side. Too skinny, Peckham-Paul said, to sell to a wholesaler, such as Whole Foods.  

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“They’re pretty persnickety about the certain size leek they want,” he said. “But they’re still awesome leeks.” 

So when Ava Agudelo called him up last week and asked if there was any food in his field that could be gleaned by volunteers and donated to Rhode Island’s food banks, he offered up the entire row of leeks, which amounts to 345 pounds of alliums.  

Hope’s Harvest hits 1 million pounds of recovered foods 

Agudelo is the value chain strategy director for Hope’s Harvest, one of the core programs at Farm Fresh RI. What the long title means is that since the operation was founded in 2018, she’s been the one connecting farmers to food relief programs and, with her team, coordinating what needs to happen to make it possible.  

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She calls a lot of farmers – the organization works with 56 local farms – looking for excess food.  

“It’s not a complicated concept,” she said. “If there’s food that doesn’t get harvested, it goes to waste, and everybody hates that.” 

Thursday morning’s leek harvest marked a milestone for the program: 1 million pounds of recovered food that otherwise would have been composted. 

Hope Harvest recovered the food both through gleaning, which is what volunteers were doing Thursday as they pulled up and sliced the leeks, and through surplus purchasing and contracting with local growers.

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There was a little fanfare for the moment, a short speech and photo op before heading out to the field, some congratulations, but mostly the assembled crew just wanted to get picking.  

“It’s fulfilling,” said Ellie Hull, who has put in over 100 volunteer hours this year with Hope’s Harvest. “You know that you are providing food for people and you – you know, doing good deeds.”  

The leeks were distributed to St. John’s Lodge Food Bank in Portsmouth, East Bay Food Pantry in Bristol and East Bay Community Action Program in Newport. But over the last five years, more than 1,000 Hope’s Harvest volunteers have delivered fresh food to 53 hunger relief agencies in the Ocean State.  

State of food insecurity in Rhode Island 

Even as Hope’s Harvest has scaled up to be able to serve about 35,000 food-insecure Rhode Islanders a month, food insecurity is the highest it’s been in years.  

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s 2022 status report showed that nearly one-third of Ocean State residents are food insecure, triple the level recorded in 2017. The pandemic and increased food prices were cited as reasons for the increase.  

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What’s next for Hope’s Harvest? 

Agudelo said the goal isn’t for Hope’s Harvest to grow big, but to feed people and support farmers.  

“Even if we see a decrease in the amount of food that we’re gleaning, that’s not necessarily a bad thing because it might mean that instead the farmers are finding markets for their products that they weren’t being able to access otherwise, through programs like Farm to School or through programs like the local food purchasing agreement, where we’re able to buy surplus, Agudelo said. “I think that creates a really vital circle where everybody is really getting what they need and the food system is working for everybody.”

Plus, it moves the food system away from those persnickety rules about how big a leek should be and focuses it back on feeding people and paying the people with the skills to grow it.

“Hunger relief agencies don’t care if your cabbage is a little bit too big or your apples are a little bit too small. It’s food and we’ll buy it,” Agudelo said. “We want to take care of everyone involved in the process.” 

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Anyone interested in getting involved as a volunteer, farm, or agency partner can reach out to Hope’s Harvest Operations Manager Shannon Hickey at HH@farmfreshri.org.  



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Rhode Island

Providence man arrested in connection to narcotics and firearms investigation | ABC6

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Providence man arrested in connection to narcotics and firearms investigation | ABC6


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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island State Police said a Providence man was arrested after police allegedly discovered multiple narcotics and a gun inside two residences on Sept. 23.

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47-year-old Joel Garcia was charged with possession with the intent to deliver over 1 kilogram of fentanyl, possession with the intent to deliver over 1 kilogram of cocaine, possession with the intent to deliver one ounce to one kilogram of methamphetamine, possession with the intent to deliver fentanyl, possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession of a firearm while committing a controlled substance violation, unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and distribution of a controlled substance in a school zone.

According to RISP, police received court-authorized search warrants for two residences in Providence in connection to a narcotics and firearms investigation.

Inside an apartment on Dresser Street, police allegedly seized 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl, 2.3 kilograms of cocaine, and 147 grams of methamphetamine.

Police also searched Garcia’s residence on Portland Street and allegedly seized one fully loaded pistol.

According to police, Garcia had allegedly used the apartment on Dresser Street to “store, package, and distribute large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine.”

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Garcia was arrested and charged.

RISP, Providence police, Cranston police, North Providence police, Johnston police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Rhode Island National Guard Counterdrug Program assisted in the investigation.





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The Ocean State’s Bond With Robert Redford

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The Ocean State’s Bond With Robert Redford


Millions have been mourning the death of a cinematic icon over the last week with the passing of Robert Redford at age 89.

The award-winning actor is arguably one of the most famous of all time. With over 70 films to his credit on screen and nine he directed throughout his career, Redford’s work in cinema stands out as some of the greatest.

Though only two of Redford’s movies were ever filmed in Rhode Island, the Oscar-winning actor has a deep connection with the Ocean State.

Redford’s Family Roots Near Rhode Island

Though no Redfords actually lived in Rhode Island, Robert’s family was longtime residents of Stonington, CT and several members were born in nearby Westerly, RI.

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READ MORE: ‘Sopranos’ Star Officially Becomes a Rhode Island Resident

Throughout Robert Redford’s childhood there were visits to his grandparents in Stonington, where his grandfather worked as a milkman.

Presumably this time in Stonington meant crossing the state line into Westerly on more than one occasion in his youth and perhaps led to his love of the Rhode Island seaside in later years.

Filming The Great Gatsby in Newport

During his career, Redford came to Newport in the 1970s to film The Great Gatsby at the historic Rosecliff Mansion. Decades later he returned to Rhode Island with the science fiction film The Discovery and even wrote a thank you letter to Newport,  praising their preservation efforts in the city.

READ MORE: HGTV Says You Need to Drive This Road in Newport

Though when he did ultimately settle in New England, Redford chose Weston, CT as his home for almost two decades. He purchased a home not too far from his close friend and fellow actor, Paul Newman.

Evan Agostini/Getty Images

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Rhode Island Honors Robert Redford

Rhode Island never forgot its ties to the beloved actor however. In 2002 Redford was asked to be the commencement speaker at Brown University and that same year Trinity Repertory Company awarded him a Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts.

Just one of the many lifetime achievement awards Robert Redford would go on to accumulate during his illustrious career.

20 Stars Who Hail From Rhode Island

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the nation, but it has been home to many celebrities. Though some have moved here, filmed here or attended school here, only a handful were actually born here. These are those celebrities.

Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall

Academy Award and Golden Globe Winners from Massachusetts

These Massachusetts natives have taken home some of Hollywood’s top honors.

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Gallery Credit: Michaela Johnson

30 Things To Do in Newport Any Time of Year

Newport has always been seen as a summer destination. Wealthy New Yorkers used to escape the city in the hotter months for this picturesque seaside spot and the label as a summer vacation destination began.

There are, however, plenty of things to do in this historic town in any season and we’ve found a few that you may want to try the next time you head to Newport.

Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall





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GoLocalProv | Sports | VIDEO: Providence’s Lassiter Scores 44-Yard TD in Vanderbilt’s Upset Over #11 South Carolina

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GoLocalProv | Sports | VIDEO: Providence’s Lassiter Scores 44-Yard TD in Vanderbilt’s Upset Over #11 South Carolina


Sunday, September 14, 2025

 

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Zell Lassiter
PHOTO: Via Vanderbilt

Providence’s Jamezell Lassiter had a big play on a huge stage on Saturday when Vanderbilt football upset #11 South Carolina. SEE 7:25 MARK.

Lassiter, who played for the Edgewood Eagles and the Mount Hope Cowboys and attended the San Miguel School in Providence, smoked the Gamecocks on a 44-yard touchdown score.

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Vanderbilt won 31-7 over No. 11 South Carolina, snapping a 16-game losing streak between the two programs. 

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Zell Lassiter PHOTO: Vanderbilt Athletics

In 2024, GoLocal sports columnist Robert McMahon wrote about Lassiter’s journey to the top Division I program:

His athletic skills impressed his San Miguel classmates. Flag football, soccer, basketball—Jamezell could do it all. He was a natural athlete.

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But the transformation of Zell, as he likes to be called, happened in the San Miguel classroom. 

READ MORE HERE

 

 

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