Monty's Experience: Joey Lankford had what a lot of people want in life: the nice house, the nice family, and the nice salary - and also a big hunger for more. So, Joey exchanged a comfortable life running the family business in the Nashville suburbs to work in missions halfway around the world. The Lankfords left behind family, friends, and familiarity in search of a unique calling - economic development within South Africa's poorest communities.
Upon arrival to South Africa in October 2010, Joey worked in job-creation and development for a ministry called Living Hope. In partnership with a stateside church, Joey organized the funds needed to purchase two 100' x 25' greenhouses to use to train and develop local people living in poverty in and around Cape Town. He worked with people God brought (3 students) from nearby townships, and together they planted 1,500 tomato plants and utilized a hydroponic irrigation process to grow superior quality vegetables to sell to local markets. Joey was privileged to serve with Living Hope alongside a wonderful team of international volunteers, local staff, and students who are still there praying, collaborating, and working to make continue to improve the efforts in South Africa.
In early 2015, God called Joey, Courtney, and their 5 children back to Tennessee with a renewed purpose to engage employment and hunger using what they had learned in Africa. In May of that year, Joey joined Cul2vate as Executive Director.
Since building the first greenhouse in 2016, Cul2vate has grown from a staff of 2 plus volunteers to a staff of 12 full and part time individuals. Partnerships for employment, education, land, and community gardens have been established. Cul2vate has grown into a well-respected community leader in the conversation surrounding food insecurity and food inequity. Cul2vate has evolved into a place where people can gather to meet, collaborate, and find solutions to feeding the spiritually and ph |
