June 20, 2007

Your surplus garden produce can help feed hungry this summer
It’s not too late to sow an extra row as Philabundance’s gears up for Share the Harvest

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- June 8, 2007 -- The perennial dilemma for many gardeners is what to do with those superfluous zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes after family, friends and neighbors have had their fill. If Delaware Valley gardeners have sown a row for hunger, plan to, or simply planted too much, from July 7 to August 25, they can Share the Harvest and give a gift form their heart that will help people who need it most.

Philabundance, the region’s largest food bank and hunger relief organization, is calling on Delaware Valley gardeners and farmers to share and grow their extra vegetables, fruits and herbs to help meet the needs faced by an increasing number of local families experiencing financial challenges. In 2006, hundreds of area gardeners donated more than 5000 pounds of extra garden produce to Share the Harvest a Philabundance seasonal program established in 1993. This year, Philabundance is teaming up with 92.5 XTU, Philadelphia’s country station, in the summer-long effort to encourage people to share their garden wealth with those in need.

“Every bushel of corn or pound of tomatoes helps,” says Bill Clark, Philabundance’s executive director. “Our Community Kitchen, a program which provides culinary training, produces more than 550,000 nutritious meals a year, feeding people in need including children and the elderly through the more than 600 kitchens, pantries and shelters we work with in the Delaware Valley. Share the Harvest is the kind of program we would like to cultivate in our region that inspires neighbors to help neighbors. We’ll take care of the cooking.”

Share the Harvest is a program based on the "victory gardens" concept, which were gardens planted at residences in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom during World Wars I and II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. Share the Harvest encourages home gardeners to grow extra vegetables or collect any surplus vegetables from their harvest to donate to Philabundance and the fight against hunger.

With six convenient drop-off sites located throughout five counties, gardeners will be able to make donations each Saturday from July 7 through August 25, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The donated produce will be distributed to those who need it most through the 600 agencies that work with Philabundance.

Chestnut Hill: Laurel Hill Gardens, 8125 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia
Bucks County: Carousel Gardens, 591 Durham Rd., Newtown
Chester County: Gardner’s Landscape Nursery, 535 W. Uwchlan Ave., Chester Springs
Delaware County: Rose Tree Park, 1971 N. Providence Rd., Media
Montgomery County: Smith & Hawken, 1225 Montrose Avenue, Bryn Mawr; Pennypack Farm, 683 Mann Rd., Horsham

For more information, call 215-339-0900 x255 or visit www.philabundance.org.
Philabundance was founded in 1984 to help fight hunger in the Delaware Valley while reducing food waste. On Jan. 1, 2005, Philabundance combined forces with the Greater Philadelphia Food Bank to provide a “Full Plate of Services” of frozen, shelf stable and perishable foods.

Philabundance is the region’s largest food bank and hunger relief organization. Working with more than 600 neighborhood organizations in both Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey, Philabundance fights hunger and malnutrition principally by collecting and distributing food to people in need. For more information about Philabundance, call 215-339-0900 or visit www.philabundance.org.