Plant a Row for the Hungry

Dedicate a row of your garden to a local food shelf.

Everyone enjoys fresh produce. Help struggling families in your community by sharing your bounty. 

Possible Recipients

Your local food pantry, soup kitchen, or deserving neighbors and friends. Learn more about the Garden Writer’s Association Plant a Row for the Hungry initiative.

What you’ll need

• A garden

• A bag or box to carry your freshly picked goods

• Optional: card-making materials

Instructions

Get inspired by this popular DGT article.

• Call your local food pantry or soup kitchen to make sure they can accept your donation. AmpleHarvest.org offers a simple tool to find the nearest food pantry.

• Plant one row in your garden that you plan to donate.

• When it’s ready, harvest your produce.

• If you’d like, attach a card saying something like, “From the garden of ___“ or “Fresh to you! Enjoy!”

• Deliver to the nonprofit or to a friend or neighbor in need. If you choose a food pantry, ask about getting a tour.

Reflections

• Why is it important to eat fresh fruits and vegetables?

• Why might it be difficult for those with limited resources to get fresh produce?

• How would it feel if you had to get your food from a food pantry?

• What other ways can you share healthy, fresh foods with others?

Resources

Click here for this growing list.

• The Little Gardener by Emily Hughes
  Through gorgeous illustrations and elegant text, Hughes introduces us to the hopes and frustrations of the littlest gardener. There is so much to love in this little story and its fairy-tale-style celebration of persistence, teamwork, and – of course – tending nature.

• Simply in Season by Cathleen Hockman-Wert and Mary Beth Lind
  Dozens of recipes and information about eating with the seasons.

Take it further

• If you don’t have room to garden in your backyard, reserve a plot in a community garden. Get to know your neighbors and share your harvest!

• If there’s not a community garden nearby, start your own. Get neighbors and friends to join in.

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The recommendations we offer are based solely on our mission to empower parents to raise children who care and contribute.