Grow and Give program surpasses 15,000 pounds of produce donation

Ames, IA – Reiman Gardens’ newly rebranded Grow and Give program, formerly known as Plant a Row, is helping feed Central Iowans by the truckload. Heading into the last week of its donation season, the Gardens have collected and distributed over 15,000 pounds of produce that has been given back to local food pantries across Story County and surrounding areas in 2024. 

How it Works

Participants in the Grow and Give program are invited to plant an extra row of vegetables, fruits, or herbs in their gardens. This initiative encourages local gardeners to help fight food insecurity by growing extra produce to donate to local food banks, shelters, and pantries. 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.

A Labor of Love

Each Monday morning, a handful of volunteers donate their time to collecting and organizing the produce that comes in. Local farmers and gardeners bring in their produce: some by the truckload, some by the grocery bag, all in the spirit of giving. Many of those same volunteers then deliver the produce to one of 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 wonderful way to volunteer and give back to the community,” said Dave Miller, who has volunteered in this program for a number of years at Reiman Gardens. “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.”

Local organizations are key to the program’s success. Iowa State University’s Horticulture Station gave Grow and Give a large boost in late September with the donation of 1,200 pounds of peppers. The Ames Main Street Farmers Market has been instrumental in donating produce as well. Each Saturday, many of the vendors donate what they haven’t sold to the Reiman Gardens booth. 

“It’s a fantastic program,” stated Anneke Mundel, Community Impact Director for the United Way of Story County and the Story County Hunger Collaboration. “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.” 

Monday, October 14, is the last day to give during the 2024 growing season. Delivery times are 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the parking lot of Reiman Gardens.

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