BENEDICT, Md. – In 2012, Bernie Fowler Jr. started Farming 4 Hunger, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, to serve people in need with fresh food in Southern Maryland. Over time, Farming 4 Hunger has morphed into much more than just a provider of food. Farming 4 Hunger is now a beacon of hope for the community, youth, and people looking for a second chance.
Prior to being President of Farming 4 Hunger, Fowler was a very successful custom home builder, building over 300 homes in the area. With the market crash of 2008, Fowler, just like many others, struggled to find work. Eventually, Fowler had to close his company down.
Fowler later went through a divorce and family issues, which put him in a dark space.
“It took about two to three years in the grind to keep going through it,” Fowler told The BayNet. “Coming out on the other side, it’s like, ok it’s so horrible, so I gotta do something for people who don’t necessarily think there’s hope for them today.”
Fowler began by visiting local food pantries and noticed that most of the food available there was canned and not very nutritious. So, he decided to take the initiative, along with the help of many others, to provide fresh produce to those in need. This marked the start of Farming 4 Hunger.
Today, Farming 4 Hunger provides many resources and opportunities throughout the region such as offering volunteer opportunities to let people experience the process of helping others, addressing drug abuse and alcohol prevention for children and young adults, helping ex-cons rehabilitate and contribute to their community, and much more.
“It made me have a purpose and direction again. At that point, I was so busy it wasn’t like ‘poor pitiful me,’ I started building houses again, and things picked up. But, I chose to step away from that, ironically, because this is where I knew I was supposed to be. Over 12 years, it’s been quite the journey,” said Fowler.
Throughout the year, Farming 4 Hunger holds many events for the community, including fundraisers. For the past six years, The Mark Frisco Team of Century 21 New Millennium has hosted their annual “Easter Egg Hunt 4 Hunger,” which helps support Farming 4 Hunger.
Their 6th annual egg hunt will take place on Saturday, March 30, 2024, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Serenity Farms, 6932 Serenity Farms Rd, Benedict, MD 20612.
“‘Easter Egg Hunt 4 Hunger’ offers a fun-filled day for all ages, featuring an array of activities including age-specific egg hunts, live entertainment, face painting, food trucks, and much more. Attendees will have a chance to explore fire trucks and squad cars, interact with the Easter Bunny, and participate in a raffle with exciting prizes,” said The Mark Frisco Team of Century 21 New Millennium.
To learn more about the event and for registration, click here.
To learn more about Farming 4 Hunger and how you can help, click here.
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
