How to Grow Food for a Food Bank

Food banks provide food to programs that feed the hungry. During tough times, their supply of food gets depleted by all who need such help.
Here's how you can help a local food bank by planting and tending a garden. This goes far beyond donating a can of soup for a food drive.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• some land (can be borrowed)
• seed
• gardening tools
• helpers (optional)

1. This project can be small or large, you decide what you can handle. If you involve a group, then growing fresh food for the food bank can be on a large scale.

2. Find suitable land that isn't shaded by trees and has a source of water. It can be a portion of your yard, or a vacant lot that the owner is willing to allow you to grow vegetables on. The prototype for this project is Charity Farms in Kissimmee, Florida which uses 35 acres. It grows thousands of pounds of produce (watermelons, green beans, broccoli, squash, etc.) to give to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

3. Talk to the food bank to be sure they can handle the vegetables and fruit you will take to them. Most food banks get limited amounts of these, so they are welcome. Find out what they want the most, so you can plant the most useful things.

4. Get the seeds or plants into the ground during the growing season. Tend them. Harvest them and deliver them to the food bank.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a fruit tree that produces more than you family wants, gather it up and take it to the food bank.

Resources

• Charity Farms in Kissimmee
• Sample business plan for a Victory Garden

[lynsuz12]

on 8/18/2009 Great idea. 5*

[painthorse42]

on 12/3/2008 Wonderful article! 5*

[ursaminor]

on 12/1/2008 What a kind and generous article! I never thought of actually planting a garden to supply a food bank with fresh food. I didn't realize they could use it! Thanks for an eye-opening article! 5 stars

[gailM]

on 12/1/2008 Great ideas for those in need. Remember the garden that the Bluestem 4-H club members did for a nursing home. A group of youths can get a lot done and learn about growing food at the same time. Sunday School classes; boy and girl scouts as well as TOPS groups could benifit from doing this type of activity.

[MI-Sandi]

on 11/30/2008 5* This is a great article