Gardening is the care and feeding of possibilities. ”- Elizabeth Able

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According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1 in 8 households in the United States experiences hunger or the risk of hunger. This can mean they’re skipping meals or going without food entirely.  In these household are about 13 million children.  Many of the families seek food from food banks, but many food banks are running seriously low on donations.  The demand for hunger assistance has increased by 70% in recent years.

plantarowWhile supplies are short, there are over 84 million households with a yard or garden in the U.S according to The Garden Writers Association. If every gardener plants one extra row of vegetables and donates their surplus to local food agencies and soup kitchens, a significant impact can be made on reducing hunger. This program is called Plant A Row.  A simple concept that can to so much good.

As you’re planning your garden this spring, plant a row (or a whole garden!) for the hungry. Find out more details as well as how to find a food bank in your area at http://www.gardenwriters.org/gwa.php?p=par/index.html

About the Garden Writers Association:

In 2002, GWA established a supporting 501(c)(3) charity called the Garden Writers Association Foundation to administer and expand the PAR program.

Downloads:
Download Plant A Row Brochure
Download Local Campaign Brochure

Enjoy!

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  • I’m Taking the Pledge Against Hunger, Won’t You? (beth.typepad.com)
  • Tough choices for America’s hungry (cnn.com)
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  • Michigan Food Bank Grows its Own Fresh Produce (ecolocalizer.com)
  • Food Safety Problems Slip Past Private Inspectors (nytimes.com)