This summer, community members can help the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank increase distribution of fresh produce to food insecure individuals and families by participating in Plant a Row for the Hungry.
The Plant a Row for the Hungry program encourages gardeners to plant an extra row in their gardens and then donate the produce to the Foodbank. The program is rooted in the heartfelt tradition of gardeners sharing a bountiful harvest with others.
“We provide the freshest food possible to our neighbors facing hunger,” said Dan Flowers, President and CEO of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. “Just by donating a few extra tomatoes or peppers from your garden ultimately means more nourishing produce on dinner tables around our community.”
The Foodbank will accept produce donations at the following participating sites through September 30, 2015:
Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, 350 Opportunity Parkway, Akron
Drop-off times: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Please call 330.535.6900 to schedule a drop-off appointment.
Crown Point Ecology Center, 3220 Ira Road, Bath Township
Drop-off times: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Once the Foodbank receives the produce it will distribute the fresh food to its network of member hunger-relief programs in the eight Northeast Ohio counties.
The Foodbank is better equipped this year to pick up food from local farms, thanks to the incredible generosity of the General Mills Foundation, which funded a brand new lift gate for one of the Foodbank’s trucks through a Feeding America grant. The Feeding America grant was awarded to help increase produce capacity in the Foodbank’s network, and also provided nine new refrigerators for partner hunger-relief programs. Since installing the new refrigerators, the selected hunger-relief programs have more than doubled their distribution of produce, ensuring the longest lifespan and freshness of donated perishable fruits and vegetables.
Interested in helping fill those new refrigerators and the refrigerators of people in our community facing hunger? The best choices for rows are vegetables that have a long shelf life and don’t bruise easily, such as cucumbers, broccoli, cabbage, onions, potatoes, eggplant, carrots, green beans and peppers.
To find out more information on the Foodbank or Plant A Row for the Hungry, please visit akroncantonfoodbank.org.