Grow & Give

Grow & Give

Grow & Give is the only fresh food donation program of its kind in Central Oregon and is operated in conjunction with local farmers markets, area farmers and the regional food bank, NeighborImpact. HDFFA hosts booths at farmers markets to collect fresh food for 20 weeks each summer. Excess fresh food is collected from gardeners and farmers, and farmers market patrons can purchase and donate food. HDFFA also hosts on-farm gleaning opportunities for Harvest Team volunteers.

To improve access we annually collect 15,000-30,000 pounds of fresh produce. In 2022, we collected over 26,000 lbs., which was the equivalent of 16,000+ meals for Central Oregonians, and overall, donated 130,945 lbs. of fresh, local produce to NeighborImpact serving 40% of their clients, or roughly 16,000 – 25,000 Central Oregonians.

how it works

Throughout the Central Oregon growing season (May – October), we collect donated produce at the market and harvest excess produce from local farms with our Harvest Team of volunteers. You can find us at the Downtown Bend, Northwest Crossing, and Redmond farmer’s markets. After the produce is collected, we deliver it to NeighborImpact food bank for distribution to 50+ regional food pantries and hunger relief organizations.

Contact

Abigail Gustke
Community Food Access Manager
abigail@hdffa.org

Grow

Grow/Donate excess vegetables and fruits
Purchase

Purchase fresh produce and donate it at our farmers market booth
Donate

Donate $$ and support our work
Distribute

Distributed to NeighborImpact's 50+ hunger relief agencies
Complete

Feel good about supporting your community!

Let’s Follow That Food

From Farm to Table, click on the video below.

Where Does the Food Go?

All donated produce is provided to NeighborImpact (the regional food bank) for delivery to their 55+ hunger relief agencies, which serves over 40% of the food bank’s clientele. Some produce goes into Fresh Harvest Kits (ready-to-make meal kits containing pantry staple items (pasta, tuna, beans), farm fresh vegetables (kale, carrots), a seasoning packet from Savory Spice, and a recipe card to create a nutritious and delicious meal on a budget).

“Local growers have generously supported our food bank and partner agencies with donations of seasonal fruit and vegetables that we don’t often receive through regular donation channels. The fresh leafy greens and ripe berries were especially a welcome treat for the folks accessing hunger-relief services. We are very grateful to be able to offer a wider variety of healthy foods through these donations.”
Carly Sanders, Food Program Director at NeighborImpact

Get Involved

Donate your Produce!

Gardeners: Scroll to the bottom of this webpage for locations accepting donations Spring to Fall. Bring your washed produce to the HDFFA booth or Market Manager booth.
Farmers: Our volunteer Harvest Team is available throughout the growing season to come to your farm and harvest produce for Grow & Give (1 weeks’ notice preferred).
Anyone: Consider growing an extra row! Email abigail@hdffa.org with any inquiries.

Volunteer

Get your hands dirty with the Harvest Team and glean excess produce from farmer’s fields throughout the growing season.

Donate Money

Support our efforts and ensure food security for all.

Our Impact

Since 2020, we have reimbursed HDFFA Partner Farmers $46,121 for produce contributed to Grow & Give. Thank you to our Farm Partners who contributed in 2022.