Reiman Gardens’ Grow and Give program donates 15,000 pounds of produce to area food pantries

This story has been updated to add new information.

A special gardening program at Reiman Gardens has raised more than 15,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables for area food pantries.

The Grow and Give program, formerly known as Plant a Row, is heading into its last week of the donation season.

The initiative encourages local gardeners to help fight food insecurity by growing extra produce to donate to local food banks, shelters and pantries.

“It’s a wonderful way to volunteer and give back to the community,” Dave Miller, a longtime volunteer in the program, said in a news release. “The pantries that we deliver to tell us that the produce we deliver on Mondays is gone by noon or three o’clock on Tuesdays.”

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Volunteers help local garden blossom

Volunteers in the Grow and Give program plant an extra row of vegetables, fruits or herbs in their gardens.

The harvested produce can then be dropped off at a designated collection point at Reiman Gardens where it is distributed to local organizations dedicated to alleviating hunger.

On Mondays during the gardening season, a small group of volunteers donates their time to collecting and organizing the produce. Local farmers and gardeners bring in their crops —some by the truckload, some by the grocery bag—all in the spirit of giving.

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A helping hand at Ames area food pantries

The produce is distributed to nine food pantries in the area, including Bethesda Community Food Pantry in Ames, MICA Emergency Food Pantry, Primary Health Care in Ames, Colo Community Food Pantry, Huxley Food Pantry, Slater Food Pantry, Boone Community School District, Cubbies Cupboard in Nevada and The Salvation Army in Ames.

“It’s a fantastic program,” Anneke Mundel, community impact director for the United Way of Story County and the Story County Hunger Collaboration, said in a news release. “One of the big needs we keep hearing about at our food pantries is the challenge of keeping fresh produce available for folks. So, having a program that is specifically designed to get produce from Reiman Gardens and other gardens into the community is fabulous.”

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ISU, Farmers Market join the action

Local organizations are one of the keys to the program’s success. For example, Iowa State University’s Horticulture Station donated 1,200 pounds of peppers to Grow and Give in late September.

The Ames Main Street Farmers Market has also been instrumental. Each Saturday, many of the vendors donate what they haven’t sold to the Reiman Gardens booth.

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The 2024 donation window is coming to a close

Monday is the last day to give during the 2024 growing season. Delivery times are 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the Reiman Gardens parking lot.

For more information on how to participate, visit the Reiman Gardens website at reimangardens.com/GrowGive or contact Kara Hetrick at khetrick@iastate.edu.

Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rfaaborg@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Reiman Gardens’ Grow and Give program donates 15,000 pounds of produce to area food pantries