On an April evening beneath a canopy of trees at Decatur’s Legacy Park, our city’s largest greenspace, neighbors, chefs, and community members came together for A Meaningful Feast – a fundraising event celebrating the roots and reach of Global Growers Network.
Held in honor of the nonprofit’s Founding Farmers, the evening paid tribute to a group of New Americans, immigrants, and refugees, who helped shape Global Growers from the ground up. Since 2010, the organization has partnered with people from diverse cultures to grow food for their families and local marketplaces while preserving traditions and cultivating community.
Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett welcomed guests with a reflection on the evening’s deeper purpose: “This is about food, culture, and community,” she said. “And that’s exactly what we’re celebrating tonight.”
Guests enjoyed a feast prepared by some of Atlanta’s most celebrated chefs, including Decatur’s Terry Koval of The Deer and the Dove, alongside a vibrant silent auction and stories from those who have made the Global Growers Network what it is today. For Executive Director Susan Pavlin, the event marked a full-circle moment. In 2008, she met several East African families new to Atlanta who dreamed of farming again. Together, they launched a small community farm – Umerimwo Abundi, meaning “abundant life” in Kirundi, the native language of Burundi.
Today, Global Growers supports more than 200 farmers across eight sites in the Metro Atlanta area, including a newly acquired 22-acre farm near Conyers. These growers – many of them women – grow culturally relevant foods, save thousands in grocery costs, and contribute to the local food economy through markets and small businesses.
“This work is about more than food,” Pavlin said. “It’s about reclaiming heritage, building bridges between cultures, and making this new place feel like home.”
The celebration included a performance from Burundian drummers and a standing ovation for the original Founding Farmers – individuals whose resilience and leadership have inspired countless others. Board Chair Katie Beecham reminded guests that the food on their plates and the stories in their programs were made possible by a powerful network of growers, volunteers, and supporters.
More than a fundraiser, A Meaningful Feast stood as a testament to what’s possible when we plant roots together – cultivating not just food, but dignity, connection, and home. This feast was a shared table, representing how culture, resilience, and community can take root and rise.
Global Growers supports more than 200 farmers across eight sites in the Metro Atlanta area, including a newly acquired 22-acre farm near Conyers. These growers grow culturally relevant foods, save thousands in grocery costs, and contribute to the local food economy through markets and small businesses.