Consider food banks as you plan your vegetable garden; here’s how you can help
Food banks are always on the lookout for fresh produce to include in their boxes, and gardeners can donate their bounty to help people facing food insecurity.
By Aliya Hall
The Oregonian/OregonLive
Apr 29, 2021
Excerpt:
The “Food Finder” resource on Oregon Food Bank’s website makes it easy for gardeners to get in touch and partner with local food banks near them. Ampleharvest.org is another resource gardeners can use to learn more about partnering with local agencies and getting involved.
Ashley Mumm, public relations manager with Oregon Food Bank, said that they have seen a large increase in the amount of need for food assistance since the start of the pandemic and are emphasizing local efforts by connecting many of their food donations to local partner agencies. Mumm added that all garden fruit and veggie donations are appreciated, and no quantity is too small.
“(Food pantries) don’t get enough fresh produce,” said Karen Kennedy, manager of Lents Community Garden. “When we show up to donate, the smiles the local food pantries have when they see us coming, they know that produce will be gone within hours.”
One program that community gardens use to partner with is Produce for People. Established in 1995 by Portland Parks and Recreation, the mission was to help increase food security and combat Portland’s high poverty rate. In 2019, Produce for People received over 27,789 pounds of produce donated by 31 of the 57 community gardens. These fruits and vegetables went to more than 26 different food pantries in Portland.
Check with your community garden manager to see if your community garden is part of the program. If not, gardeners can start Produce for People at their garden by creating a team of two to three people with someone volunteering to be a coordinator. Participants plant an extra row in their garden designated to donate and encourage other gardeners to do the same.
