FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Angie Clawson
Office: 678.553.6010
Cell: 404.569.4945
ATLANTA COMMUNITY FOOD BANK KICKS OFF THE 19TH YEAR OF PLANT A ROW FOR THE HUNGRY
ATLANTA- Spring is a time of renewal and new life. What better way to chase the chills of winter away than to bring warmth and enrichment to the lives of others? If you are a gardener, garden club member, or farmer planning for your spring planting, you can help get healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables to those struggling with hunger. Lend a helping hand and a green thumb to the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) as it kicks off this year’s “Plant a Row for the Hungry” campaign.
To participate in Plant a Row, simply plant an extra row in your garden for donations, or just bag up any of your extra harvest. It’s easy to locate a designated drop-off site at www.acfb.org/about/our-
Plant a Row for the Hungry was launched in 1995 as a national, public service campaign of the Garden Writers Association (GWA) and the GWA Foundation. ACFB executed the first local campaign in 1996, yielding nearly 160 pounds of fresh-from-the-garden foods to benefit local hunger-relief organizations.
Since that first year, approximately 613,084 pounds of produce have been donated locally through Plant a Row. This would not be possible without our local gardeners and farmers who provide the fresh produce that is distributed to those in need. We would like to make this year our biggest year yet. We only grow if you GROW!
To learn more about participating in Plant a Row, visit www.acfb.org/about/our-
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About the Atlanta Community Food Bank
The Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) began operating in 1979 from a small space at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. ACFB now distributes more than 50 million pounds of food and grocery products each year from a 129,600 square-foot facility in N.W. Atlanta. The product is accessed by 600 partner nonprofits that provide food assistance to families and individuals in 29 counties across metro Atlanta and north Georgia. ACFB leads seven distinct projects that reinforce its mission to fight hunger by engaging, educating and empowering our community: Atlanta Prosperity Campaign, Atlanta’s Table, Community Gardens, Hunger 101, Hunger Walk/Run, Kids In Need and Product Rescue Center.
ACFB is a member of Feeding America, the national network of more than 200 food banks. For more information on the Food Bank, visit www.acfb.org, and for more information on Feeding America visit www.feedingamerica.org.
About Garden Writers Association and Plant a Row for the Hungry
Launched in 1995, Plant A Row is a public service program of the Garden Writers Association and the GWA Foundation. Garden writers are asked to encourage their readers/listeners 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. For more information on Plant a Row, visit www.gardenwriters.org
