[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2455]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ANDREW MORIN

   Mrs. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Andrew 
Morin of Nashua as June's Granite Stater of the Month. Andrew cofounded 
the ReGenerative Roots Association, which runs community farms, farm-
to-school programs, and a food hub to help Nashua families thrive.
  When Andrew was about 5 years old, his father gave him his first 
tomato seed to plant in their backyard. What started as an ingenious 
way to encourage Andrew to eat his vegetables turned into Andrew 
developing a lifelong passion for agriculture and local food systems.
  About 10 years ago, Andrew and a group of high school friends, who 
were also lifelong Nashua residents, became interested in tackling 
local food security and sustainability. Using their connections in the 
community, they founded the ReGenerative Roots Association with a 
4,000-square-foot garden plot, a couple of volunteers, and some high 
school interns. Today, the nonprofit is on its seventh growing season, 
with three community farm sites that are on pace to grow 15,000 pounds 
of food this year. The land is open to use by refugees and new farmers, 
and all who farm on the land donate 10 percent of their produce to the 
Nashua Children's Home or Nashua Soup Kitchen.
  In addition to community farms, ReGenerative Roots also has robust 
farm-to-school programs that teach students about the importance of 
local food systems and healthy eating through hands-on experiences in 
school gardens. Its newest program, the Food Hub, sells produce from 
local New England vendors and also has a food pantry to help people and 
families who can't afford the food that they need.
  Andrew Morin has made an incredible difference in the Nashua area, 
providing healthy fruits and vegetables to families and creating a 
sense of community and economic empowerment for newly arrived refugees. 
I commend him for his determination in tackling the challenging issue 
of food insecurity and healthy nutrition and for his generosity in 
giving back to the community. Andrew's work exemplifies the Granite 
State spirit, and I look forward to seeing how ReGenerative Roots 
continues to touch the lives of even more Granite Staters in the years 
to come.

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