The Giving Garden at Coogan Farm produced more than six tons of food in 2016, providing fresh vegetables for more than 30,000 residents of New London County.

Produce from the garden, which is owned and operated by the Denison Pequotsepos/Coogan Farm Nature and Heritage Center, was donated to the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center. The produce was then distributed to residents through 10 mobile food pantries from Stonington and New London to Jewett City and Colchester.

In a press release, United Way of Southeastern Connecticut president and CEO Virginia L. Mason said the Giving Garden is a model program to address food insecurity in the area. The organization estimates that 1 in 5 local children experience food insecurity, and 10,000 children received vegetables from the Giving Garden this year.

“The commitment of the Nature Center was in response to the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center and its need to provide fresh, nutritious, health-giving foods,” she said. “The community has been given a gift by the development of the Coogan Farm Giving Garden. It is a place of growing, and learning.”

The garden has more than quadrupled its harvest since its founding in 2014, when it was established on one of the oldest farms in eastern Connecticut. Volunteers from churches, businesses and other groups worked more than 3,700 hours with farm manager Craig Floyd this year. A hoop house installed late last year allows the farm to produce crops year-round.

The Giving Garden is located at 162 Greenmanville Ave. in Mystic.