Plant a Row for the Hungry.
Hunger. You may not see it. But it’s here. Right alongside our obesity epidemic, there are people in Chatham County dealing with hunger. Children are among those hardest hit. North Carolina ranks second worst in the nation for food insecurity among children under five years old.
In Chatham County more than 30% of children live in poverty. 45% are eligible for school lunches free or at reduced cost. I wonder how well those children are eating while school is out.
Gardeners can help. And you have. After I appealed to you for help in June, 104 pounds of fresh produce showed up at the CORA food pantry in the next eleven days. The first Monday in July, a farmers market delivered 85 pounds of unsold produce. Employees and volunteers report that recipients are especially glad to get fresh food. As gardeners you know why – it’s real food, and it’s real good.
We’re asking for more because the need is great. It’s time to plant the fall garden. Learn more about fall gardening at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/hil-8001.pdf. Will you Plant-A-Row-for-the Hungry?
The Plant-A-Row campaign was initiated by the Garden Writers Association in 1995. Since that time they have encouraged America’s gardeners “to plant an extra row of produce each year and donate their surplus to local food banks, soup kitchens and service organizations to help feed America’s hungry.” Since that time, over 14 million pounds of food has been donated by American gardeners. People helping people.
Can you help? If you grow food, how much more effort does it take to grow an extra row? You can start growing now for the winter holiday season. Most of us tend to have more than we can use of at least something. You can find agencies that will help distribute that food at
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/homehort/Harvest4Hunger.html
They have the system set up to get that food to people, not too far away, who can use it.
Plant a Row for the Hungry.
And thanks. You are making a difference.
alcooke