HSU Service Learning Center Madalyn Walker & Jennifer Howell

Plant a Row for the Hungry: Humboldt County

Overview:
Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) was started in 1995 by the Garden Writers. It is a people-helping-people program that encourages gardeners to grow a little extra and donate the produce to local soup kitchens and food pantries serving the homeless and hungry in their local communities. Over 36 million Americans live in households that experience hunger or the risk of hunger daily, which breaks down to 1-in-8 Americans who face hunger daily and 14 million of those facing hunger each day are children. Here in Humboldt County Food for People has been the designated food bank since 1979 and provides food for 17 pantries and 3 congregate meal programs (soup kitchens). The pantries and the additional programs that they sponsor provides food for an average of 10,000 to 12,000 individuals county wide each month; approximately 10% of our total population . . Requests for assistance have been up 25-30% over the past year due to the economy The people they serve include children, seniors living on fixed incomes and working families who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. 34% of Adults in Humboldt County are at risk for hunger and are living on a fixed income and surviving from paycheck to paycheck. Nearly 1 in 5 children in the US experience hunger everyday; here in Humboldt County, 35-40% of the people we serve are children. Last year, Food For People collected and distributed over 1.3 million pounds of food, and brought in 133,000lbs of fresh produce from its gleaning program.

Objectives:
Provide fresh produce to Food For People and its Humboldt County Food Pantries. Help build relationships between the local gardening community and Food For People Create awareness and educate the local community about hunger in our area and how to help Provide gardening tips that are relevant for our area to local community gardens and school and afterschool gardens. Provide seeds and seeds starts to participating gardens through donations and seed drives

Key Project Partners:

HSU Service Learning Center (Project Leader) Food For People - Potowat Raven House - Eureka City Schools and Afterschool Programs CCAT - RCAA: North Coast Community Garden Collaborative College of the Redwoods

Logistics:
HSU Service Learning Interns will educate local gardens and farms about project, create and provide educational materials and kits that will go out to participants. Gardens/Farms will designate their Plant-a-Row Row with PAR stake. Gardens/Farms will work directly with Food for People and local food banks to distribute produce once harvested.

Time Line:
October: - Identify key project partners - Collaborate with Food For People on Project goals & logistics - Research Local gardening tips, Hunger facts, etc. November: - Create outreach material/Plant a Row Participant Kits, to include: About Plant a Row How to participate guide Seasonal Gardening tips for local area Hunger Facts: Humboldt County & National For Schools: Supplemental Education/Lesson Plan Material Plant a Row Supporter Garden Stakes & Farmers Market/Place of Business Badge Seed Packets - Send out emails to community gardens and local gardens/farms about Plant a Row program describing how to get involved and how the program works. - Contact local nurseries and garden supply stores for seed and seed start donations - Distribute Kits to Winter Participants December & January: - Begin outreach to gardens/farms to participate in the spring planting. - Contact local nurseries and garden supply stores for seed and seed start donations February: - Seed Drive at North Coast Youth Summit - Host Plant-a-Row Workshop focused on school and home gardens at NC Youth Summit - Connect with Community Partners and potential PAR Partners at HSU Agency Volunteer Fair - Continue outreach to gardens/farms to participate in the spring planting. - Contact local nurseries and garden supply stores for seed and seed start donations - Press Releases about PAR and upcoming garden Workshop March: April: Site Visits to PAR participants Press Release about Program to date/successes Educational outreach at local events and Farmers Markets Create Connections between PAR gardeners and Food For People about harvesting and delivering/getting produce to Food Banks and the Community. Seed Drive at Northern California Regional Service Learning Conference (NCRSLC) Host Plant-a-Row Workshop focused on school/afterschool gardens at NCRSLC Collaborate/Assist Food For People with their Gardening Workshop and program promotion Continue outreach to gardens/farms to participate in the spring planting. Contact local nurseries and garden supply stores for seed and seed start donations