UNION SPRINGS, Alabama — Today is World Hunger, Day and the economic hardships caused by the pandemic caused more people to have food insecurity. Your home garden could help.
A new national survey by Bonnie Plants finds that while just half of home gardeners use all the food they grow, only 10% know how to connect with an organization to donate their extra fruits and vegetables.
Food insecurity has more than doubled since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, more than 20 million Americans planted a vegetable garden for the first time as people explored new hobbies at home.
The survey also found:
- 56% of gardeners give unused food from their garden to friends and family
- 12% of gardeners donate unused food from their garden to a local food pantry
- 12% of gardeners say food they grow in their garden goes to waste before they can use it
Bonnie Plants has once again partnered with AmpleHarvest.org, a nonprofit that connects gardeners with over 9,000 partner food pantries based on their ZIP codes. The organization has connected with each featured food pantry to guarantee they accept fresh produce from local gardeners. Through their "Grow More, Feed More" initiative, they are encouraging home gardeners to plant a little extra this season and donate their surplus to help feed their neighbors and support their communities.
BonniePlants.com will also donate 5% of their online plant sales through July to AmpleHarvest.org to address the continued need. To donate your garden surplus, click HERE and enter your zip code. You can also call the local pantries near you to find out what kind of produce they will accept and then deliver.