Generous gardeners share wealth

Last spring I challenged all you vegetable gardeners out there to plant some extra rows of vegetables and then donate the produce to local food banks, as part of the Plant a Row for the Hungry project. At that time, I told you the need was great and the number of folks turning to food banks was still increasing.

First, the bad news: Nothing has changed. According to officials at the Second Harvest Food Bank network , the number of folks needing food assistance is higher this year than last. This time of year food donations of all kinds are down because people are off enjoying their summer vacation instead of participating in food drives.

Here is the good news: While the garden season got off to a slow start this year, the string of almost a month of over-80 degree days has resulted in gardens bursting with ripe fruits and vegetables.

You do the math: Empty shelves and hungry people plus gardens full of ripe veggies and fruits equals an opportunity to demonstrate once again why the Inland Northwest is a great place to live. We take care of our neighbors.

Are the donations of fresh produce wanted and needed? “Our food is at its lowest in the summer because schools are out so there aren’t food drives. Church attendance is down as people go on vacation so they give us money in lieu of food,” says Rory-Anne Cudney, co-director of the Mead Food Bank, one of the food banks in the Second Harvest Food Bank network. She goes on to add that, “In the summer, kids don’t get their school breakfast and lunch programs.” These meal programs are sometimes the only balanced quality meals some kids get.

As the executive director of the Washington Food Coalition, a group of public and private anti-hunger agencies, Cudney also has a unique view of the broader challenges involved in fighting hunger.

Agencies involved in getting food to the hungry are putting a huge emphasis on improving nutrition and the quality of the calories available to food bank clients. Quality calories found in meats and fresh produce are expensive and are often the first things to go off a shopping list when money is tight.

The frequency of nutrition-related diseases is rising among the poorest and that in turn adds to medical costs. “Diabetes is such a huge thing that’s developing (among food bank clients) because it’s being recognized more frequently and is actually on the rise,” she says. “Food drives don’t always bring in well-balanced foods.”

So gardeners, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and start hauling all that good stuff to folks who need it. It takes a big village to feed everyone.

What can the food banks use? “Almost anything,” says Cudney. “If we can’t use it or there’s too much to give away, we find someone else in the network who can.”

She finds that vegetables that are commonly found in the grocery store go first, “They recognize them and know how to use them.” Good choices include beans, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, winter and summer squash, cucumbers, apples, cherries, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, root crops, onions, garlic to name a few. Try not to donate over mature vegetables like that giant zucchini; they are past their nutritional prime.

Because many food banks are small and don’t have a lot of storage or refrigeration space, sturdy vegetables that can sit for a day or two on a shelf are best.

Any amount is welcome. Even a single pound from that tomato plant on the patio is welcome. Each pound provides four servings. If you have a very large amount to donate, call the food bank first and find out how to handle it. Ask for a Plant a Row receipt. The food bank records the number of pounds so we can track our progress.

The best time to donate is any time you have fresh produce AND when the food bank is accepting donations. Many food banks are only open one or two days a week and have set days and hours to receive food. Call and check before you go.

If you would like more information on donating food or the location of the nearest food bank, please contact the Second Harvest Food Bank at 534-6678, ext 214 or go to www.shfoodbank.org.

I would like to hear from gardeners who are taking up the Plant a Row challenge. Are you doing this as a family, youth group or as a community project? What kinds of things are you donating? Let me know. Your stories can inspire others to join in. You can contact me at srmunts@mindspring.com or by mail in care of The Spokesman-Review, 999 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, WA 99201.

This is going to be an ongoing appeal until the end of October. Every couple of weeks I will be posting the number of pounds of produce that have been donated. Last year, local gardeners donated 36,985 pounds or 147,580 meals. Do you think we can come up with 60,000 pounds this year?

I have no doubt you can.

As of Aug. 5, local Plant a Row for the Hungry donation totals are 970 pounds.