Grow a Row, Share the Harvest

The Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy is encouraging local gardeners to grow an extra row in their gardens this year. The excess harvest can be shared with food providing agencies, namely Grace Place, Shelter House, the Salvation Army, Dew Drop Inn, and the Regional Food Distribution Association along with its members. The community can help make a difference in the lives of others by spending a little extra time with their hands in the soil.

Initiatives such as this are not new and have been happening across the country for decades. Often times, without even growing an extra row, gardeners find themselves with more produce than they can eat and some decide to donate the harvest. These generous donations are met with much enthusiasm by the recipients. The Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy aims to encourage gardeners to think ahead and plan to share.

In the Thunder Bay area, around 13% of the population is living below the poverty line. Around 1,267 people are using emergency shelters and 3,447 people access food banks every month. The root cause of food insecurity is poverty, and the real solution will be to address inadequate incomes. In the meantime, by planning ahead and planting an extra garden row dedicated to helping those in need, gardeners can help others in their community gain access to healthy, home-grown produce.

To take a coordinated approach to fresh produce deliveries, please see the chart below for further instructions. Also, please remember to pre-rinse your produce prior to drop off.

Food Providing Agency	Type of Produce	When and Where
Dew Drop Inn	Any	Any day 10:00am-1:30pm
Grace Place	Any, especially cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, peppers, cabbage	Monday-Wednesday (other days as arranged) 9:00am-4:00pm
RFDA	Any, especially onions, brassicas, root vegetables, red and green tomatoes, hearty lettuce	Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm
Salvation Army	Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, herbs, beans, peas	Deliver to the back door whenever donations are available
Shelter House	Any	Before 1:00pm or between 3:30pm-7:00pm