I had mentioned in a post back about Grow a Row of Love. Steve and I have read up on it and we are thinking about doing it this year. It's based on the principle of helping out someone in need by growing love...via growing food. You designate one row of your garden or a certain thing you grow and it goes to either a food pantry, an elderly neighbor or a family/person in need. There are links where you can go to see what your local pantry needs, drop off times etc. Your local pantry can also enroll in different links so people will know the best drop off times to ensure freshness and so the pantry doesn't have to worry about refrigeration. If you have an elderly neighbor you simply share something out of your garden with them and in turn you are "growing love". If you know a family in need or a person down on their luck you share.
We like the idea of it because we fully support gardening and farmer markets as well as we believe a child getting fresh food is getting a leg up.
I wish that more food pantries and assistance places would encourage people with SNAP benefits to grow their own food. Live plants and seed plants can be purchased with food stamps and if a person was knowledgeable they could grow say all of their tomatoes for the summer and save on their food costs while giving vitamins to their family AND teaching their children where food comes from. I am very happy to see WIC in this area offer produce benefits that are usable at farmer's markets. I'd much rather see a Mom buy $20 worth of fresh homegrown produce than store pesticide sprayed food. I really think steps in this area could be made to encourage gardening. If you have a pot, some dirt and a plant..you can grow food!!
The recommended items for most pantries are tomatoes, cauliflower,corn, broccoli, squash, potatoes and onions. Lettuce is harder simply because once cut..it wilts fast...but is a good basic donation item. Remember too that you may be familiar with a certain type of produce (such as heirloom tomatoes) but others may not be. I'm thinking though most pantries or the family you are donating to will be happy with whatever you give. If you don't garden buy extra when you go to the farmer's market and then donate it to your local pantry. Involve your kiddos in the process. Do a community garden at your church and use it to stock your church pantry or to give out to those in need. Much like plants...the ideas....and the love grows!! A good thing to keep in mind whether you donate garden items, donate farmer's market items or store bought items.....try and picture yourself as that parent having to go to the pantry. Yes, food is food. Saving your kid from starving or malnourished is what matters. But if I wouldn't feed my child a chemical laced, high fat, highly processed how do I morally say "hey they can feed their kid that and be happy." Any donation is awesome to a pantry but it would be nice to see some wholesome foods in there with the processed stuff.
In my idealistic mind lol I see a basket of fresh produce, some handmade recipe cards to assist in how to prepare a dish or even how to preserve (can) it.
I've seen the delight in my own child's eye when she gets the first fresh carrot out of the garden, when she twists off the season's first tomato. I have the pleasure to see her help me make stewed tomatoes to put up. To have her help me water the seed beds. I myself know how I HAVE to smile when I get to smell our tomato vines in the air, how satisfied I feel when my little rows start growing and the delightful sweetness of our strawberries.
If you think about it many of us give 10% of our income to the church, 10% of our garden to the pastors, we give alot of our tax money to govt programs, we give alot of our energy to our job. Why not give a row of our garden to someone in need? It might spark that person to grow their own food or it might brighten someone's day. And for many...it may save their day if they have very little food.
Some links:
http://www.ampleharvest.org/
http://eartheasy.com/blog/2012/02/how-to-grow-a-row-for-those-in-need/
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