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At Healthy Child, we stress the importance of eating healthy – especially whole foods like fresh produce. While we encourage people to eat organic as much as possible, the fact remains that organic can cost more and it’s simply out of reach for many families in today’s economy. Sadder still are the many families who are struggling to put food on the table – period.

You can help.

We know there are a lot of gardeners in the Healthy Child community and right now is peak harvest time. If you have eggplants coming out of your ears or you’re up to your armpits in heirloom tomatoes – consider donating your excess bounty to a local food pantry. Maybe your garden delights will end up feeding a pregnant woman or child? Think of the healthy impact you can have by offering local, garden-fresh produce instead of another box of mac-n-cheese or can of overly salty soup.

This is the essence behind AmpleHarvest.org – an organization developed in response to the fact that while 41 million Americans grow food in home gardens, 49 million Americans are food insecure – a fancy way of saying people either do not have enough food or they are at real risk of not having enough food for their families.

It does not have to be this way.

The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign, a charitable organization enables gardeners to donate any excess produce to a local food pantry – easily found at AmpleHarvest.org or using the free AmpleHarvest.org iPhone app.

Initially rolled out in May 2009, nearly 2,800 food pantries across all 50 states now participate with more signing up every day. AmpleHarvest.org has been working with the USDA and food banks in the Gulf region of the USA to help local food pantries meet the increased demand for assistance brought about by the BP oil spill.

Gardeners who donate some of their harvest not only diminish hunger in their community; they also help to improve the environment – all without spending a dime.

You can help diminish hunger in your community and throughout America in a number of ways:

1. Share this information with your network of friends and family across the country - especially backyard, patio and kitchen gardeners - as well as CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) members who may occasionally receive more produce than they can personally use.

2. Share a flier with a food pantry in your community. As 70% of all food pantries are in houses of worship, reach out to your friends in the faith community to ask them to help get a pantry registered.

3. Ask your local garden shop/nursery to help their customers learn about AmpleHarvest.org by posting a flier.

4. Contact local media (print and electronic) know about the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign. Press/media information.

5. Most importantly, if you are a home gardener, please be generous with your excess harvest. You are one of 41 million gardeners in America who, garden by garden, can diminish hunger in your community.

Times are tough. The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign enables people to help their neighbors in need by reaching into their backyards instead of their back pockets.

One out of every six Americans is hungry. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Do one thing today and help more families eat healthier.

Thank you!

And thank you to Gary Oppenheimer for starting this campaign, bringing it to our attention, and sharing much of the information used in this email/blog.

Looking to get your kids involved in cooking? Want fast and easy recipes? Check out Eat Healthy

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