CommunityGro — free orchards, the Orchard Bicycle Cruise, and building a food network in Galesburg

Did you know there are community orchards in Galesburg with apples, peaches, pears, plums, and apricots — free for anyone to pick? CommunityGro founder and executive director Angelica Mangieri and social media manager Roland Williams Jr. joined Galesburg's Morning News to talk about the city's free food network and what the organization is doing to make sure more residents know about it. Topics covered in this interview: What CommunityGro is — and why it operates as a network rather than a single organization The community orchards scattered across Galesburg — including five behind Hy-Vee most residents don't know exist The June 23 Orchard Bicycle Cruise Fundraiser — route, stops, boxed lunch, music, and prizes How to register and what to expect on the ride Prairie Punk Farms and Elementary Earthworks — the farm partners joining the final gathering How the fundraiser supports CommunityGro's programming and signage goals How Mangieri's role on the Galesburg City Council connects to her community work How to volunteer, host a growing space, or get involved   Full story: ➡️ Free fruit, a bike ride, and a Galesburg you might not know — CommunityGro is changing how the city thinks about food [caption id="attachment_701144" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Angelica Mangieri, founder and executive director of CommunityGro, and Roland Williams Jr., social media manager, at WGIL. (WGIL)[/caption]