AmpleHarvest.org channels garden surplus to food pantries

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>AmpleHarvest.org channels garden surplus
>to local food pantries in all fifty states

Washington, February 16, 2011 -- One out of six Americans goes to bed hungry. 
And it doesn't have to be that way.

That's the credo of a new but thriving nationwide program called 
AmpleHarvest.org, which has enabled gardeners to share their excess produce 
with local food pantries.
 
Inspired by members of the Sustainable West Milford (NJ) Community Garden, who 
organized themselves in 2008 to share their left-over bounty with several 
local food pantries, AmpleHarvest.org was launched in May 2009 to connect 
garden enthusiasts with churches and organizations that distribute food to 
persons who can't afford to buy groceries.
 
Today, more than 3,200 food pantries across all 50 states now receive fresh 
produce from local backyard gardeners who use AmpleHarvest.org, according to 
Gary Oppenheimer, founder of the network.
 
AmpleHarvest.org is a free service, Oppenheimer said. "There are no costs to 
the food pantries nor to the gardeners using AmpleHarvest.org to find one."
 
In part because of his work with AmpleHarvest.org, Oppenheimer was named a CNN 
Hero in 2010.
 
"AmpleHarvest.org is an inspiring example of people working together to 
support their neighbors in need," says the Rev. Michael E. Livingston, 
director of the National Council of Churches Poverty Initiative.
 
"We all know gardeners who grew more fruit and vegetables than they needed and 
felt frustrated when it rotted on the vine. Thanks to this network, the unused 
bounty around the country gets to thousands of people who need it - - and while 
it is still fresh."
 
"Certainly AmpleHarvest.org is a powerful example of the message the NCC has 
been preaching for years," said Cassandra Carmichael, director of the NCC 
Eco-Justice program. "Providing and sharing fresh food is not only eco-just -- 
it's biblically sound and theologically prophetic."
 
Livingston encourages congregations related to the NCC's member communions "to 
get to know AmpleHarvest.org as the gardening season begins in many parts of 
the country this spring, and use it as a ministry of sharing and caring."
 
"Providing fresh produce to local food pantries offers a number of benefits to 
both the recipient as well as the community," says Oppenheimer. "Not only is 
fresh produce healthier than canned goods -- no excess salt or sugar in the 
diet -- it tastes a lot better, has a much smaller carbon footprint and has 
eye appeal, too."
 
Children who eat fresh vegetables tend to eat a healthier diet when they grow 
older, Oppenheimer says.
 
In addition, an article about AmpleHarvest.org in the Huffington Post asserts 
that national long-term health care costs will be reduced as more people have 
access to fresh produce.
 
"By helping to feed our neighbors in our community in instead of throwing the 
excess away, we both reduce the waste stream and we reduce the out-of-pocket 
costs needed to keep people from going hungry," says Oppenheimer. "All this 
because an ample harvest was given to a pantry and not wasted."
 
Church groups and civic organizations can learn more and quickly connect with 
local food pantries by way of the AmpleHarvest.org website. (See 
www.ampleharvest.org/faith) The website also has links to fliers, widgets, CNN 
videos, a Facebook link and other information about the network. 

Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in 
the USA has been the leading force for shared ecumenical witness among Christians 
in the United States. The NCC's 37 member communions -- from a wide 
spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African 
American and Living Peace churches -- include 45 million persons in more than 
100,000 local congregations in communities across the nation.

NCC News contact: Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office), 
646-853-4212 (cell), pjenks@ncccusa.org