Midrex Technologies is putting $25,000 and employee volunteer hours behind the Plant a Row for the Hungry Garden at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill.
The Charlotte-based steel technology company announced the partnership with the Greenway on Oct. 19, according to a Greenway press release. The gift will fund the garden, which the Greenway says produces approximately 6,000 pounds of fresh produce each year for hunger relief organizations across York County.
Elizabeth Bowers, director of advancement and communications for Anne Springs Close Greenway, said in the press release that the sponsorship allows for increased access to locally grown food for families in need.
The PAR Garden sits near the Dairy Barn entrance to the Greenway. Volunteers tend rows of tomatoes, squash, peppers, green beans, okra and herbs three mornings a week, according to the Greenway's website. The harvest goes to the Fort Mill Care Center, the Community Café locations in Lake Wylie and Fort Mill, the Clover Area Assistance Center and Manna House at Pathways in Rock Hill.
A Greenway volunteer named Betsy McClean started the garden in 2000 as part of a nationwide Plant a Row initiative. The Master Gardeners of York County and the Carolina Orchards Ladies Garden Club help maintain it. The garden and its volunteer team received the Governor's Group Volunteer Award in 2024, according to the Master Gardeners of York County.
Midrex employees held a volunteer day at the Greenway on Friday, Oct. 16. Additional service days are planned through the year. The company joined the Greenway's Corporate Trailblazer program at the Pine Level tier, which also includes Continental Tire, Founders Federal Credit Union, Party Reflections and Piedmont Medical Network, according to the Greenway's corporate partners page.
Lauren Lorraine, Midrex senior manager of marketing and communications, said the company was drawn to the Greenway because of shared priorities. "The gardening component makes the initiative especially meaningful because it supports environmental stewardship while also helping provide fresh food to families in need," Lorraine said in the press release.
Midrex Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kobe Steel, Ltd., works in direct reduction technology for the iron and steel industry. The partnership grew out of a commitment Midrex began in 2025 tied to Kobe Steel's 120-year anniversary, according to the press release.
Residents interested in volunteering at the PAR Garden can sign up through the Greenway's Volunteer Hub at ascgreenway.org.
