When I go by the greenhouses located on the northwest side of Richmond, I always notice that many are sitting there unused.   What if some of them could become community greenhouses?  Another approach would be to reuse some of the glass that is there to build smaller greenhouses that could be located in people's yards or adjacent to a local community garden.

I have noticed that many people have fruit trees, mainly apples, in their yards but they never harvest them. If a student or community group would contact the property owners, it might be possible to harvest the fruit and provide it to a community pantry or homeless shelter. Cooking the apples into apple sauce (a very easy process) would allow the fruit to be frozen for long-term storage.  

The Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce is already pursuing the creation of a "Buy Fresh, Buy Local" brand for local growers, food sellers, restaurants and more.  The program facilitates the promotion and support of local food production that provides our citizens with healthy, safe food.  It helps the local economy, helps us take pride in our community, and shows visitors what we have to offer.