In the spirit of giving

From one seedling sprung one giant cabbage. Then followed six gardens, hundreds of fruits and vegetables and countless people helped in the process.

From that one seedling, 11-year-old Katie Stagliano has reaped more than she could have ever imagined, so she has shared the wealth.

Now, Katie is in the running in a national competition that could enable her to help even more people.

It all started from the one seed Katie sowed and tended into a 40-pound cabbage in 2008. She donated the cabbage to the soup kitchen at Tricounty Family Ministries in North Charleston, which went on to help feed nearly 300 people.

Since then, Katie established her own nonprofit organization, Katie's Krops. From her efforts, she has accrued numerous awards and has been recognized nationally.

She's even working on a children's book about her first gardening experiences.

This time, Katie has been chosen as one of 10 children in the Kids Who Give program, a contest sponsored by Farm Rich that recognizes kids who actively help others.

She is among other youths, according to a Farm Rich release, who are seeking to create positive changes in their communities, such as Abbie Bernet, a 15-year-old from

Olney, Md., who raises awareness among her peers for people with mental handicaps.

Other kids in the running include young philanthropists and activists Andi Kezh, a 9-year-old from Decatur, Ga., who was born with a cleft palate and decided to raise money for other kids to fund surgeries, and 9-year-old Anna Stang of Tonawanda, N.Y., who came up with an idea to make blankets for chemotherapy patients.

When Katie's journey began, she was only 9 and didn't know that the cabbage would open up so many doors of opportunities, she said.

"Before I knew it, I started getting into gardening," Katie said.

Then when her parents suggested she donate her first cabbage, she went to the soup kitchen for herself and saw the long line of people waiting for what might be their only meal of the day. Katie said she instantly felt the push to help others.

"I thought, 'I can do something to help these people, and I should,' " Katie said.

Since then, Katie says she has made it her initiative to tackle hunger.

With the funds from her nonprofit and from winning competitions, Katie starts vegetable gardens. There are six so far, including one in the backyard of her Summerville home and one at the back of her school, Pinewood Prep, that is almost a football field long.

The gardens grow peppers, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, zucchini and eggplants among other crops.

Altogether, more than 3,500 pounds of produce have been donated to local shelters and families in the Charleston and Summerville areas, and crops are harvested almost daily, Katie says.

And since the nonprofit started, more than $25,000 in monetary donations and in-kind aid has been collected.

The Kids Who Give program was open to 7- to 17-year-olds in the United States who voluntarily donate their time to benefit local charities or individuals in need.

Five winners each will receive a $300 gift card and $1,000 to contribute to the charities of their choice among other prizes.

Katie says if she wins, all of the money will go to plant more gardens.

"I want to feed as many people as I possibly can," Katie said.

Katie's garden work also has earned her a $1,000 scholarship toward post-secondary education from Kohl's Department Stores' Kids Who Care Scholarship Program. She was one of 200 winners from among more than 27,000 nominees.

Katie's activism to stop hunger continues even this weekend.

From 5 to 8 p.m. today, Katie will be at Aura Lee's, 140-C W. Richardson Ave. in downtown Summerville, for the Third Thursday event. Katie is asking for donations of canned goods to restock the shelves at Tricounty Family Ministries.

Also, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Katie will hold her second annual fresh vegetable drive at Children's Orchard, 1580 Old Trolley Road, and is asking people to bring canned goods or their extra vegetables from their home gardens that will go to local soup kitchens. Last year, more than 500 pounds of food were collected.

To view the list of contestants in the Kids Who Give contest, visit www.kidswhogive.com. People can cast their vote for one child once a day until Tuesday.

Reach Almar Flotildes at 937-5719 or aflotildes@postandcourier.com.