In March 2026, we will say goodbye to our current chair, Peter Klapwijk. He is one of the founders of Stichting De Groentedeler, which originated within the former sustainability working group of Ekklesia Leiden. “The very first idea was to start a Herenboeren project,” Peter explains. “With my background as an entrepreneur in greenhouse horticulture, I knew what that would require. You are essentially setting up a business. That’s why I thought we should also explore whether we could connect with something that already existed.”
In the summer of 2020, that search led Peter to Mariska Verhulst, owner of the self-harvest garden Bij Mei in Zoeterwoude. “Fairly quickly, I asked her whether she would be open to working together. We didn’t know exactly how, but we were both positive about continuing the conversation,” Peter says. When he reported back to the sustainability group, everything fell into place. Several members were involved with Voeldselbank Leiden and suggested donating harvest subscriptions. No surplus or leftover produce, but fresh vegetables grown specifically for the food bank’s clients. An idea that was immediately met with enthusiasm by Voedselbank Leiden as well.
Volunteers as the backbone
The project started with 20 harvest subscriptions. A budget was drawn up, in which Peter included a cost item for a paid harvester. Within the Ekklesia, however, it was decided that no paid labor would be involved and that the harvest would be carried by volunteers. “Honestly, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect,” Peter recalls. “But now I see that this has become one of the greatest strengths of Stichting De Groentedeler. A group of enthusiastic volunteers quickly came together. People from the city, often without gardening experience, who learned how to weed and harvest. That is incredibly valuable.”
Born at a market garden himself, Peter is very familiar with the process of growing vegetables. “What’s so beautiful about the volunteer harvesting role is that people from the city get the chance to see how the vegetables they eat every day actually grow. They learn what it takes to harvest vegetables, what the growing process looks like, and how plants are cared for. For me, that touches on something bigger. I have always dreamed of food production right in the middle of the city. To show people how things grow. To create respect for food and for the earth. Here, you really see that happening.”
From project to foundation
As the project grew, so did the financial responsibility. A flow of donations for the harvest subscriptions began, and there was a growing need for reserves to safeguard continuity. Continuity that is essential to keep providing clients of Voedselbank Leiden with healthy food.
In 2023, De Groentedeler officially became a foundation. “One of the most beautiful things in our foundation is that the idea that started within the Ekklesia has grown into something that belongs to everyone,” Peter says. “It has grown beyond the walls of the church. Today, people from all kinds of backgrounds work together, united by a shared vision. That is something special.”
Peter also sees this as the great strength of Stichting De Groentedeler for the future. “As soon as people hear what we do, they are often willing to get involved,” he says. “So the key is to keep telling the story of De Groentedeler and to keep involving people in our activities. I will continue to do that with great enthusiasm.”
Passing on the baton
For Peter, the time has now come to pass on the baton. “I’m a builder,” he says. “Over the past years, we have created something truly meaningful together. We built a website where people can not only find information, but also donate. This has helped us to grow every year. There have been two benefit performances, in which a young group of artists from Leiden helped raise funds. Churches organized collections, and more and more donors joined us. In this way, we have become a stable and reliable presence that clients of Voedselbank Leiden can count on. Last year alone, our volunteers harvested more than 10,000 portions of fresh vegetables. That is fantastic. I look back on my time as chair with great pleasure and I’m happy to see how the baton is being passed on.”
Peter is sure that Stichting De Groentedeler will continue to grow. He also hopes that the success of the foundation will plant a seed for other regions. “Who knows, maybe one day there will be a Stichting De Groentedeler Alphen aan den Rijn,” he says. “We can share our concept, our knowledge and experience, after which a new local initiative can emerge elsewhere. Carried by volunteers and working together with local producers.”
