December Update

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From Garden to Pantry: How You Helped Nourish Communities This Year

As we close out the year, December invites us to reflect with gratitude and to celebrate what we’ve accomplished together. Thanks to the generosity of gardeners, donors, food pantries, and partners nationwide, AmpleHarvest.org continued to grow its impact in 2025, connecting millions of gardeners with thousands of local food pantries and helping families across all 50 states gain access to fresh, healthy food.

This year, your support strengthened food pantries, expanded tools like Producepedia, deepened partnerships with faith communities and Tribal nations, and reinforced a simple truth: when communities share what they grow, hunger and food waste are reduced together. None of this would be possible without the gardeners who give from their harvests and the donors who make this work sustainable—thank you for believing that the solution to hunger is already growing close to home.

And as we celebrate National Pear Month and National Root Vegetable Month we’re reminded that even in winter, abundance is possible. Pears, carrots, beets, turnips, and other root vegetables are staples of winter nourishment—long-lasting, nutrient-rich foods that are especially valuable to families relying on food pantries.

Thank you for being part of this growing movement. Together, we’re ending food waste, feeding neighbors, and making every season one of sharing.

Your Donations at Work this December

9 new food pantries have joined the AmpleHarvest.org network in 9 communities across 8 states. Among them is Ramapo College We Care Food Pantryin Mahwah, NJ. They wrote “We appreciate any food donation that we can make available for those on campus to take home with them.”
Every new pantry means more fresh food reaching more people—and less going to waste. With gardeners across the country donating their extra harvests through AmpleHarvest.org, we’re turning abundance into action and building a healthier, more sustainable food system together.

Honor Someone Special by Sponsoring a Food Pantry Listing

Struggling to buy that special gift for someone who has everything? You can make a one time $120 donation to AmpleHarvest.org to sponsor a food pantry listing in honor (or memory) of that someone special. Everyone looking up that food pantry for the next year will know that someone in their community deeply cares about nourishing the community. Check out this pantry to see what it could look like. Corporations can also make a $10,000 donation and sponsor every food pantry listing in the state of their choice. Check out Bonnie Plants' state wide sponsorship of all Alabama food pantries to see an example.

Give today: AmpleHarvest.org/donate

Sip With Purpose: A Wine That Helps Feed Families

Raise a glass and raise hope with Old York Cellars’ special fundraising wine for AmpleHarvest.org. Every bottle you purchase from this campaign supports our mission of turning homegrown abundance into fresh, healthy meals for families across the country. With Old York Cellars’ quality craftsmanship and your generosity, this wine becomes more than just a treat. It becomes nourishment, community, and impact. Cheers! Buy now

Centerpieces for food pantries

This holiday season, a colorful arrangement of produce can make a beautiful, natural centerpiece for your table. When the celebration ends, it doesn’t have to go to waste.

Donate your edible centerpiece to a local food pantry through AmpleHarvest.org. You’ll brighten someone’s day twice—first with the beauty of your table, and again when those fresh fruits and vegetables help feed a family in your community.

A little creativity can go a long way toward reducing waste and fighting hunger. This year, let your centerpiece nourish both your guests and your neighbors.Read more

Food banks are continuing to see large numbers of people needing food assistance. If you've planted a garden, think about growing more to feed more. If you can't grow a garden, share AmpleHarvest.org on social media, volunteer, or donate. Every act of kindness counts.