According to the 2009 Summer Gardening Trends Report recently released by the Garden Writers Association Foundation, more and more home gardeners are creating their own vegetable gardens. The report states that “almost half of American households with a yard or garden added or expanded a vegetable garden in their yard this spring or summer. Eating fresh produce was the primary reason respondents gave for vegetable gardening followed by sharing with friends, preserving for later and donating to others.”
At the same time that many home gardeners are producing more home grown produce, local food pantries and food banks are trying to feed more and more patrons.
Sharing Home Grown Vegetables is Good Way to Help Feed the Needy
In an effort to help get this produce into the hands of the needy, AmpleHarvest.org has created an online directory of food pantries that will accept this produce. Gardeners can search the AmpleHarvest.org database by entering their zip code or city and all registered pantries within a specified distance will be listed. Entries include not only name, address and other contact information, but also days and hours that gardeners’ donations can be accepted.
Registering a pantry is just as easy as finding one. Just visit AmpleHarvest.org and click on the button to enter the name, address, phone and other optional information about a pantry. The site also accepts additional text you might want to include (“no more tomatoes this week please” or “we need tuna and soap”). You can even supply a digital photograph of your location to make it easier to find. Once registered, backyard gardeners wishing to donate fresh produce will be able to quickly find your pantry, contact information and the days and hours donations will be accepted. It also displays a map and optional driving instructions.
AmpleHarvest.org Connects Home Gardeners with Food Pantries in Need
AmpleHarvest.org has the support of the USDA, Google.com, VFW, Catholic Charities, Garden Writers of America, Plant-A-Row and other organizations. It operates on a non-profit basis with all involved donating their time and talent. There are no costs to food pantries or gardeners for use of the site.
AmpleHarvest.org estimates that there are 30,000 to 40,000 food pantries nationwide and that 36 million Americans (12% of the population) rely on those pantries for food.
According to Ample Harvest’s founder, Gary Oppenheimer, “In our current economic climate, food pantries need community support more than ever, while at the same time, many people are unable to make monetary donations. The AmpleHarvest.org campaign enables backyard gardeners to help feed the hungry by reaching into their backyards instead of their back pockets”.
Betsy Franz - Hello! I am a freelance writer and photographer specializing in nature, wildlife, the environment and both humorous and inspirational ...
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