Community Gardens Greenhouse - Lowell, MA
Plant a Row for the Hungry
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| Growing communities from the ground up! |
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Located at 220 Aiken Street, Lowell
Sponsored by the Community Gardens Greenhouse
Sponsored by the Community Gardens Greenhouse
A Brief History - Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) is a grass roots,
people-helping-people program created in 1994 by Alaskan master gardener and garden
writer, Jeff Lowenfels. In 1995, Mr. Lowenfels was president of the Garden Writers Association
(GWA) and shared his experience of local gardeners in Anchorage donating one row of food
from their gardens to their local soup kitchen, Beans Café.
The Garden Writers Association adopted the public service program that year and partnered
with Second Harvest, a non-profit organization that identifies agencies in need of fresh food
and distributes food to local food pantries and organizations.
Today, 48 states in the United States participate in PAR. Missouri is rolling out PAR
state-wide. British Columbia is spearheading the campaign to roll-out the program through
the provinces of Canada. Massachusetts was the 30th state to join PAR. For more in-depth,
detailed information, visit the Plant a Row for the Hungry web site.
Our Project - Community Gardens Greenhouse volunteers will create a vegetable garden
dedicated to the Dracut food pantries and the Dracut Council on Aging. The Dracut Food
Pantry has grown exponentially from 6 to 60 families in less than a year. The Saint Vincent de
Paul Society's Food Pantry at Saint Marguerite D'Youville Church services approximately 35
families. The intent is to supplement the food pantries with fresh produce during the growing
season, as well as to provide free vegetables to our senior citizens, or those who have been
laid off, unemployed, under-employed, or who are making the decision as to whether they can
afford to purchase produce during this time of soaring costs.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Pantry is opened on the 3rd Saturday of the month; the
Dracut Food Pantry on the 4th Saturday of the month. Fresh produce will be delivered to the
food pantries and the Dracut Council on Aging on days designated by the respective
organization. The food pantries do not have refrigeration, therefore, excess food will be picked
up when the pantry closes and donated to shut-ins, other organizations or shelters to ensure
there is no waste.
Produce can be picked up at the greenhouse on the 1st and 2nd Saturday of the month by
anyone in need. Greenhouse volunteers will not ask for proof of residency, nor request any
type of identification to distribute produce. The honor system is being invoked; anyone who
needs food and comes to the greenhouse on the days we distribute will be given produce.
This is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
It is the hope that this Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign will expand over the years. Every
contribution, no matter how small makes a big difference in someone's life.
We love to garden and are growing communities from the ground up! Contact us for more
information.
people-helping-people program created in 1994 by Alaskan master gardener and garden
writer, Jeff Lowenfels. In 1995, Mr. Lowenfels was president of the Garden Writers Association
(GWA) and shared his experience of local gardeners in Anchorage donating one row of food
from their gardens to their local soup kitchen, Beans Café.
The Garden Writers Association adopted the public service program that year and partnered
with Second Harvest, a non-profit organization that identifies agencies in need of fresh food
and distributes food to local food pantries and organizations.
Today, 48 states in the United States participate in PAR. Missouri is rolling out PAR
state-wide. British Columbia is spearheading the campaign to roll-out the program through
the provinces of Canada. Massachusetts was the 30th state to join PAR. For more in-depth,
detailed information, visit the Plant a Row for the Hungry web site.
Our Project - Community Gardens Greenhouse volunteers will create a vegetable garden
dedicated to the Dracut food pantries and the Dracut Council on Aging. The Dracut Food
Pantry has grown exponentially from 6 to 60 families in less than a year. The Saint Vincent de
Paul Society's Food Pantry at Saint Marguerite D'Youville Church services approximately 35
families. The intent is to supplement the food pantries with fresh produce during the growing
season, as well as to provide free vegetables to our senior citizens, or those who have been
laid off, unemployed, under-employed, or who are making the decision as to whether they can
afford to purchase produce during this time of soaring costs.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Pantry is opened on the 3rd Saturday of the month; the
Dracut Food Pantry on the 4th Saturday of the month. Fresh produce will be delivered to the
food pantries and the Dracut Council on Aging on days designated by the respective
organization. The food pantries do not have refrigeration, therefore, excess food will be picked
up when the pantry closes and donated to shut-ins, other organizations or shelters to ensure
there is no waste.
Produce can be picked up at the greenhouse on the 1st and 2nd Saturday of the month by
anyone in need. Greenhouse volunteers will not ask for proof of residency, nor request any
type of identification to distribute produce. The honor system is being invoked; anyone who
needs food and comes to the greenhouse on the days we distribute will be given produce.
This is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
It is the hope that this Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign will expand over the years. Every
contribution, no matter how small makes a big difference in someone's life.
We love to garden and are growing communities from the ground up! Contact us for more
information.
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| A grassroots, people-helping-people campaign open to anyone of any age. |
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| Welcome |