THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 16, 1995 TAG: 9504140073
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
IF YOU HAVE extra room in your garden or grow more vegetables than you usually use, you can help feed the hungry.
``Plant a Row for The Hungry'' is a project sponsored by members of the Garden Writers Association of America. Gardeners are urged to supply wholesome vegetables, herbs and fruit to those who serve the hungry.
Sarah Martin, spokesperson for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, said they can especially use potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, snap beans and other vegetables that stay fresh a long time.
``Squash doesn't appeal,'' she added, so gardeners who always have too many zucchini or yellow squash should continue to give them to neighbors.
Fruit of all kinds is also welcome. Apples, pears, citrus and firm peaches and plums are especially good. If you can't gather the fruit yourself, don't let it drop or rot on the tree, but call one of the resources listed below for help. They often can send volunteers to pick the fruit for you.
``The Foodbank is interested in partnerships with local gardeners and producers to increase the quality and quantity of produce available to the area's needy,'' Martin said. ``Particularly, children and the elderly are being targeted as their health is so positively impacted by nutrient-dense produce.''
An estimated 30 million Americans, including many elderly and children, go to bed hungry each night or not knowing when their next meal will be, according to the Garden Writers Association of America. The ``grow a row'' effort is aimed at reducing that problem without government programs, tax dollars or red tape.
If you usually put in four tomato plants, plant eight this year. If you have a window box full of herbs, plant two boxes. If you have a very small garden, double its productivity by planting more closely and by planting late season vegetables after harvesting early lettuce, radishes and similar vegetables.
In South Hampton Roads, you can bring your food to the Foodbank, 2308 Granby St., Norfolk. (That's on Granby near 21st Street, near Shoney's restaurant.) If you need help in getting your food there, call Martin at 624-1333.
In Virginia Beach, you can also take your food to the Judeo Christian Outreach Shelter, 1053 Virginia Beach Blvd., near South Birdneck Road. If you need directions or help in getting it there, call Ron Bollinger at 491-2846.
In other cities, call the Foodbank soup kitchen or soup pantry listed in the your telephone directory.
If you can't find such a listing in Virginia or North Carolina cities, you can call Second Harvest headquarters in Chicago (3121) 263-2303 and ask for the communications department, which can tell you the nearest organization that can use your food.
Be sure to clean produce thoroughly before bringing it in. When mounds of vegetables are stacked, a little loose dirt spreads widely. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
PARK SEED
RIGHT: Plant extra tomatoes in your garden to share with the hungry
with summer.
by CNB