Burlington, VT, April 04, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hundreds of gardeners across the country are accepting a challenge this spring: to grow and to donate food from their own gardens to their local food pantries. The hunger relief challenge is called Garden to Give, and it’s being issued by Gardener’s Supply Company, which reaches millions of gardeners each year with its website and catalogs.
The company is also teaching gardeners how to grow a Giving Garden, using a free, online tool called the Kitchen Garden Planner.
“We had hardly announced the program and already, hundreds of gardeners are pledging to pitch in and dozens of our own, employee-owners have taken the pledge too,” says Gardener’s Supply Company Dir. of Good Works and PR, Claudia Marshall. “We expect thousands will join us as the gardening season starts.”
Gardeners who do take the pledge (to participate in Garden to Give) are entered to win a $100 Gardener’s Supply gift certificate in a monthly drawing and the first five hundred people to sign on are receiving free seeds for an entire Giving Garden, courtesy of High Mowing Organic Seeds. Gardeners can also enter the company’s online photo contest, Show What You Share,” at the end of the summer and win a $500 gift certificate as well as $1k for their local food pantry.
“We can easily lose sight of the fact that people in our own communities don’t know from one day to the next whether they’re going to have food on the table,” says Gardener’s Supply Company president Jim Feinson. “Our goal for Garden to Give is to donate 25 tons of food this year. That’s a big goal, but we feel it’s in reach if gardeners take the pledge to make a difference in their own back yards.”
In addition to using the company catalogs and website to get out the word, Gardener’s Supply is offering free resources online, including a FAQ section and detailed directions on how to plant a Giving Garden. After consulting with numerous food pantries, Gardener’s Supply created the Giving Garden plan to include the types of durable veggies a food pantry might be most likely to accept.
Several national organizations are also collaborating on Garden to Give, including the American Community Gardening Association and Seed Money. In addition to spreading the word, some groups are also providing special programming. KidsGardening is offering lesson plans and activity ideas on hunger and gardening to tens of thousands of teachers nation-wide.
Another partner in Garden to Give is AmpleHarvest.org, a national, non-profit that helps gardeners find their local food pantries online. “Not everybody knows where or what to donate, so we’re linking to AmpleHarvest.org to take the guesswork out the mix,” says Marshall.
Since its founding in the early 80s, Gardener’s Supply Company has advocated for children, the environment, sustainable agriculture and more, donating 8-percent of the company’s profits each year to ‘causes that make the world a better place through gardening.’ “This year, we’ve added “Katie’s Krops,” to our roster of donation recipients. It’s a national group that supports dozens of youngsters who grow food and donate all of it locally,” says Marshall.
Many Gardener’s Supply employee-owners volunteer at company-run community gardens at three, Vermont facilities, growing and donating all the veggies to the food insecure in the community. The program, called, “Company Farm,” is expected to expand to all five of the company’s facilities in 2018.
Contact: Claudia Marshall 802-660-3524 claudiam@gardeners.com
About Gardener's Supply Company
Founded in 1983, Gardener’s Supply Company is a 100% employee-owned company of avid gardeners providing garden-tested, earth-friendly products combined with practical information. Based in Burlington, Vermont, the company has won many awards for its innovative gardening products, online gardening content and progressive management style. Gardener's Supply is also a Certified B Corporation and donates 8-percent of its profits to charity. www.gardeners.com
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