Lance Cpl. Jonathan Etterling

Memorial Feed The Vets.

 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1 in 8 households in the United States experiences hunger or the risk of hunger.  Many frequently skip meals or eat too little, sometimes going without food for an entire day. Approximately 33 million people, including 13 million children, have substandard diets or must resort to seeking emergency food because they cannot always afford the food they need;  The demand for hunger assistance has increased by 70 % in recent years, and research shows that hundreds of hungry children and adults are turned away from food banks each year because of lack of resources.

 

Launched in 1995, Plant a Row for the Hungry is a public service program of the Garden Writers Association and the GWA Foundation.  Gardeners are asked to plant an extra row of produce each year and donate their surplus to local food banks, soup kitchens, and service organizations to help feed America's hungry.  There are over 84 million households with a yard or garden in the U>S.  If every gardener plants one extra row of vegetables and donates their surplus to local food agencies and soup kitchens, a significant impact can be made on reducing hunger.  Fresh produce is something most pantries can not provide in abundance.