WHATELY — A new effort to address food insecurity and generate community connection is taking root in Whately.

Beginning on Saturday, May 17, and then every two weeks after, folks are invited to the S. White Dickinson Memorial Library, 202 Chestnut Plain Road, for a seed and seedling swap drive. The biweekly event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The new community initiative is spearheaded by Selectboard Chair Julie Waggoner, Community Development Administrator Erica Roper, Library Director Cyndi Steiner and Town Clerk Amy Lavallee.

“The idea was to build something within the community that could make a small impact on some of the cuts that we’re seeing coming through,” Waggoner said, “and generate community connection and neighborliness and, even, education around agriculture, since we’re largely an agricultural community.”

Waggoner said the group took some inspiration from World War II’s victory gardens, which were a national push to have Americans plant gardens at home to lower pressure on the food system.

While not in the same type of moment as World War II, Waggoner said food insecurity, which has been a challenge for quite some time in the Pioneer Valley, may become more prevalent as cuts to federal programs potentially take shape at the national level.

On top of providing food, Lavallee said gardening is also an opportunity to get outside and away from work.

“You can have pride in it and say, ‘Hey, I did that. I grew that,’” she said. “It’s relaxing, you get that mental break, you get away from your phone and computer.”

The goal of the program, Waggoner and Lavallee said, is to take folks through the process of gardening by starting with the seeds, sharing tips for maintaining a garden and then, if people are willing, sharing the food they grow. The South County Senior Center may also do deliveries to seniors around the region.

Lavallee added that she’d like to explore further workshops for people to participate in once the produce is grown, so people can learn how to properly preserve food through canning or pickling.

“My biggest thing is the community aspect of it and showing people they can be self-sufficient and helping people learn how to do that,” Lavallee said. “We’re in Whately, right? Farming is a huge thing.”

Several local businesses have also donated plants or materials to the event, including, but not limited to, Nourse Farms, Golonka Farm, Sugarloaf Gardens, Fairview Farm and L & L Fence Co.

Donations of any kind are welcome, as the group will accept seeds, plant starts, space in one’s garden, gardening tools, labor, time or materials.

People interested in the program are welcome to show up on the day of the event, or they can sign up by emailing townclerk@whately.org or jwaggoner@whately.org. Folks who sign up can let the group know if they are bringing donations or if they are looking for seeds, plant starts or tools.

“This is all about neighbors helping neighbors,” Waggoner said. “We don’t expect that we will make a huge difference, but it’s trying to help people as well as we can.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.