May in Review — and What’s Growing in June Dear Garden Friends, May was a month of planting, pledging, and momentum. Your hunger rows are in the ground, your seedlings are reaching toward the sun, and across all 50 states, the AmpleHarvest.org community is growing right alongside them. As we move into June, the calendar is on our side. This month is both National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month and National Hunger Awareness Month — a powerful reminder of why what you grow in your garden matters so far beyond your own table. May in Review A Season of Planting and Pledging April’s Plant for Hunger Month carried into May with real energy. Across the country, gardeners who pledged their hunger rows watched seeds push through the soil and begin to climb. Food pantries in our network of 8,500+ registered locations took note — summer is coming, and so is the fresh produce that transforms their shelves. A few highlights worth celebrating: • Gardeners across all 50 states pledged hunger rows and shared their gardens with #PlantForHunger (tell us a story about your garden, we’d love to hear it! Just reply to this message) • Food pantry registrations continued to grow ahead of the summer harvest season (28 new registrations in May!) • Partners helped carry the homegrown donation message to gardeners Gifts from the Garden Month May’s theme of Gifts from the Garden resonated throughout our community — and for good reason. A hunger row is exactly that: a gift. It’s zucchini for a family that hasn’t had a fresh vegetable in weeks. It’s kale for a pantry that has never received a donation of fresh greens. Thank you for making that gift possible. June: A Month Built for This Mission National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month — a USDA-recognized celebration of the peak growing season, when homegrown produce is at its most abundant and most nutritious. Fresh fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, yet they remain among the rarest items found at a food pantry. Most pantry donations are shelf-stable: canned goods, cereal, pasta. Fresh produce is precious — and you grow it. This month is a natural moment to share why what you do matters. When you bring a bag of beans, cucumbers, or tomatoes to your local registered pantry, you’re delivering something that money alone often can’t put on that shelf. National Hunger Awareness Day — June 6 June opens with National Hunger Awareness Day on June 6. In the United States, millions of families rely on food pantries — and the overwhelming majority of those pantries rarely receive fresh vegetables. The hunger row you planted this spring is a direct response to that reality. If you’ve been looking for the right moment to tell a friend, neighbor, or fellow gardener about AmpleHarvest.org, June 6 is it. Share your story. Show them your hunger row. Invite them to plant their own. National Garden Week — June 7–13 National Garden Week, founded by National Garden Clubs, Inc., takes place June 7–13 — the first full week of June. It’s a week dedicated to celebrating the joy, beauty, and purpose of the American garden. Workshops, garden tours, and community events happen in neighborhoods across the country. If your community is hosting a garden event this week, consider bringing AmpleHarvest.org into the conversation. A hunger row doesn’t need a sign or a ceremony — but it does deserve to be talked about. Every gardener you reach is a potential donor to a pantry that needs them. Eat Your Vegetables Day — June 17 June 17 is Eat Your Vegetables Day — and if your early crops are ready, this is a satisfying one to celebrate straight from your garden. Snap peas, lettuce, radishes, and early beans are likely ready to harvest in many zones this week. Before you enjoy your own, check in with your registered pantry partner. Early donations are always welcome, and your pantry neighbors will be grateful for the fresh produce. Summer Solstice — June 21 The longest day of the year arrives on June 21, and with it, the unofficial starting gun for the heart of the growing season. For AmpleHarvest.org gardeners, the solstice is a natural midpoint between planting and the harvest ahead. Your summer squash, tomatoes, peppers, and beans are on their way — and Harvest for Hunger Month in August is closer than it looks. Tending Your Hunger Row in June June is when the garden really gets going. A few things to keep in mind as you tend your hunger row this month: • Early crops like lettuce, snap peas, and radishes may be ready to donate now — don’t wait until August to make your first delivery • Succession planting in June keeps your harvest window open all the way through Harvest for Hunger Month; a new row of beans or cucumbers planted now will be producing in late July • Zucchini and summer squash can get away from you quickly — check your plants every few days once they start producing, and bring anything pantry-sized to your partner as soon as it’s ready • Water deeply and in the morning to build strong roots and reduce disease pressure during the heat ahead • Not sure where to bring your harvest? Find your nearest registered food pantry at AmpleHarvest.org. Read more garden to-dos at Bonnie Plants. Looking Ahead: Harvest for Hunger Month August and Harvest for Hunger Month are on the horizon. Everything you plant, tend, and grow in June is building toward that moment — when surplus homegrown produce travels from your garden to a pantry shelf and into the hands of a neighbor who needs it. Now is a good time to connect with your local registered pantry, let them know donations are coming, and ask what they need most. That simple conversation can make your summer harvest go even further. Watch for Harvest for Hunger Month resources and campaign materials coming your way this summer. The hashtag to know: #HarvestForHunger. Your mayor wants to fight hunger. You can show them how - for free. Every mayor knows the weight of it: neighbors going hungry, pantries stretched thin, and a budget that can't keep up. They're looking for answers. You have one. A zero-cost solution that works with what's already in your community - no new programs, no new funding required. A new toolkit at AmpleHarvest.org/government gives local officials everything they need to ensure that every food pantry in their community can accept fresh produce - this season and every season after. Thank you for growing with us. Your garden is more than a garden — it’s a lifeline for families across your community. Find a pantry. Donate your harvest. Spread the word. AmpleHarvest.org • #PlantForHunger • #HarvestForHunger AmpleHarvest.org | 8,500+ Registered Pantries | 5,700+ Communities | All 50 States | 
