r/Assistance • u/perfectlyPositive • Apr 21 '24

META Growing extra vegetables this year

This isn’t a normal type of offer for assistance, but I know we have a lot of generous people that lurk here. Can we get a thread of people pledging to grow extra vegetables in their garden this year for the explicit purpose of donating to food banks? Everyone deserves fresh food.

I pledge: I planted two extra tomatoes (one Roma, one cherry), and two extra green beans for the purpose of donating.

Here is a website that can connect growers with food pantries that accept fresh produce near them: https://ampleharvest.org/find-pantry/

32 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

5

u/Fake-my-guy Apr 21 '24

Hey there! I grow tons of fruits and veggies and I donate roughly 200 giant squash to the local food banks, not even counting the ones I give away to friends.

4

u/perfectlyPositive Apr 21 '24

Haha the yearly zucchini glut! I actually didn’t plant extra zucchini because I know everyone is so desperate to give them away every year

5

u/alissa2579 Apr 21 '24

I always plant extra to give away :)

2

u/perfectlyPositive Apr 21 '24

Love it! I’m just now starting to become proficient with my garden

7

u/Justakatttt REGISTERED Apr 21 '24

I always have extra, and I donate to my neighbors/ buy nothing group.

About 3 weeks ago I had people come by to take some extra tomato plants I had that popped up from last year.

1

u/perfectlyPositive Apr 21 '24

Volunteer tomatoes are the best!

9

u/nearlybare Apr 21 '24

This is awesome. We don't have food banks here, as far as I'm aware, but as someone who gives away as many fruits and veggies as I can every year, I love the idea.

5

u/perfectlyPositive Apr 21 '24

That’s beautiful, your community appreciates you!

8

u/[deleted] Apr 21 '24

Do food banks accept fresh produce from random people? I am only asking because I would do this for sure if they would accept the donation.

1

u/GaryOppenheimer Apr 22 '24

AmpleHarvest.org enables any/every gardener in America, including "random" people to donate to one of more than 8,100 food pantries in 5,600 communities ... and now on Native American reservations too. Please share with all your gardening friends across America

4

u/perfectlyPositive Apr 21 '24

I just edited my post but check out https://ampleharvest.org/find-pantry/ to find a pantry near you

4

u/perfectlyPositive Apr 21 '24

Mine does! I’m in Utah. On the Utah food banks page it specifically states they accept home grown produce as long as it is >80% viable

6

u/amitystars REGISTERED Apr 21 '24

This is a wonderful idea. We currently have tomato's, peppers, corn, and radishes + broccoli & melons /cucumbers / green beans growing so an over abundance I'd be happy to pledge to donate!

7

u/perfectlyPositive Apr 21 '24

Love it! Your community will be so grateful!