Christine Peng is a senior at Indian Hills High School in Oakland, New Jersey.  Growing up helping families build and grow home gardens, Christine has experienced firsthand the abundance of healthy food created by one tiny seed.  Seen more people begin to face food insecurity after shortages, job loss, and lack of student access to food caused by COVID-19, Christine is determined to find a solution by going back to her own root. She founded Teens Give and Grow to help encourage teens to go back to the land, combat the spread of food inequity, and amplify youth voices in fighting hunger.

Christine has cultivated her passion for fighting food insecurity through Teens Give to Grow. Some of her favorite topics are food insecurity in the local community, sustainable growth through local farming, access to healthy and nutritious food for youth, and reducing juvenile crime by engaging kids in food deserts area. 

Outside her busy school life and community service program, Peng is also a writer, musician, activist, and enthusiastic volunteer. 

Christine's vision is that Teens Grow to Give will engage a broader teen audience to remain educated and informed about the hunger crisis and food insecurity around them. She also hopes that the organization inspires others to take initiative and create a solution to problems. By growing food together, Christine hopes to provide transformative experiences that will develop our future leaders, and cultivate belonging, and connections to a stronger community.

From class proposals to winning state-level design challenges, and hosting various fundraising events, working with local farms, nurseries, school teachers, church leaders, participating in gardening in school gardens, community gardens, and donating hundreds of fresh produce to food pantries, Teens Grow to Give is growing with every volunteer support!