Fighting hunger with "Share The Harvest"

PHILADELPHIA - August 6, 2009 But what if your garden produces more than you can use?

The agency feeding the region's needy can use anything you could spare.

Summer means fun for most people, but with the economy in a rut, thousands need a vacation from hunger.

Philabundance fights hunger with "Share The Harvest", asking home and community gardeners to donate surplus crops.

Saint Asaph's Church in Bala Cynwyd raised a garden for the program last year and planted more crops this summer.

Other parishoners take part with gardens at home.

The church and eight other sites serve as drop-off points where you bring your produce.

It's collected Saturday mornings from now to late September.

Share The Harvest accepts food donations every Saturday morning at eight sites around the region.

If you have a home garden, and are raising more than you can eat, you can put your surplus to good use this summer.

Philabundance, the agency coordinating the battle against hunger in the Delaware Valley, operates "Share The Harvest", in which you donate your excesss produce. Some is furnished as fresh food to families in need. Other items may be cooked and served as meals at 600 sites throughout the area. Collections take place every Saturday between 10:00am and 12:00 noon. Here's a list of the sites:

PHILADELPHIA Laurel Hill Gardens 8125 Germantown Ave. Chestnut Hill, PA 215-247-9490

BUCKS COUNTY
Carousel Gardens
591 Durham Rd
Newtown, PA
215-598-0202

CHESTER COUNTY
Gardner's Landscape Nursery
535 E. Uwchlan Avenue
Chester Springs, PA
610-363-5455

DELAWARE COUNTY
Linvilla Orchards
137 W. Knowlton Road
Media, PA 19063
610-876-7116

Rose Tree Park
1971 N. Providence Rd.
Media, PA
484-494-4988

MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Albrecht's Garden Center Nursery
650 Montgomery Ave
Narberth, PA
610-664-4300

St. Asaphs Episcopal Church
27 Conshohocken State Rd.
Bala Cynwyd, PA

Smith & Hawken
1225 Montrose Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA
610-526-9314

SOUTH JERSEY:
Springdale Farms
1638 S. Springdale Rd.
Cherry Hill, NJ
856-424-8674

Philabundance also needs help in other ways. Cash donations are always important. The organization can produce a complete meal in their community kitchen for less than 30 cents, but they need cash. Volunteers are needed, particularly at food banks where you might spend an hour or two sorting caned goods for pickup. There's information about all of this at http://www.philabundance.org.)

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