Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is continuing its fight against hunger by dedicating an entire garden to growing vegetables for the Central Virginia Foodbank this summer. Called the “Community Kitchen Garden at Lewis Ginter,” it will cover one fifth of an acre with a goal of collecting more than 10,000 pounds of fresh produce by the end of the growing season.

The announcement comes at a time when food banks across the country, including the Central Virginia Foodbank, are experiencing unprecedented demands. The Community Foundation has awarded the Garden a $15,000 grant from the Safety Net Fund to help with the project, but support from the community is needed to ensure that the garden thrives!

The Community Kitchen Garden at Lewis Ginter complements the “Plant a Row for the Hungry” initiative started by the national Garden Writers Association in 1995. “Plant a Row” supplies fresh produce to food banks by encouraging gardeners to plant extra rows of crops and donate the harvest. For the past three growing seasons, the Children’s Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has participated by growing and donating more than 500 pounds of fresh produce each summer to the Central Virginia Foodbank.

Click Here to see the progress of the Community Kitchen Garden and our current supporters!

Ways You can Get involved

The Garden is focusing efforts on engaging our community and encouraging partners to contribute to this project.  By offering financial support or in-kind contributions, you contribute directly toward the Garden’s efforts of maintaining the Garden and growing produce for the hungry in our community.

The public and other community organizations and groups are also invited to contribute fresh produce from their own gardens so that together we can reach goal of 10,000 pounds of fresh produce this growing season.  Businesses and organizations lending financial support and in-kind support will be recognized as a Community Kitchen Garden supporting partner.

Click here to view the supplies needed for this project or how much your contribution can help!