On the QT | The Official Newsletter of GWA November-December 2017 | Page 16

Harvest Hope with Plant A Row A S H L E Y H O DA K S U L L I VA N For more than 20 years, GWA and GWA Foundation have been proud to support our Plant a Row for the Hungry Program. The idea is simple: Plant an extra row of produce each year and donate your surplus to local food banks, soup kitchens and service organizations to help feed America’s hungry. Ever thought about starting your own Plant a Row for the Hungry Program? Now is the time to start planning. Here are some steps to begin your own local PAR committee: STEP 1: Enlist a Network Recruit volunteer participants. Volunteers can include master gardeners, garden clubs, food pantry volunteers or just local gardeners wanting to support their community. STEP 2: Plan Your Campaign To begin planning, set a coordination session 10 to 12 weeks before the planting season. Ask the food bank representative to describe the need for produce and what garden produce is wanted. Coordinate planting and goals with volunteers. With a plan in place, now the real work begins. Here’s how a typical PAR campaign looks: When planting season opens: • Create an attention-getting launch for the campaign and give away “starter kits. • Publicize the need to Plant A Row. • Ask extension services, community gardens, churches, schools, garden clubs, businesses and even food banks to start Plant A Row gardens. As harvest season advances: • Organize gleaning opportunities from home gardeners, orchards and truck farms. Have them donate produce directly to qualified food distribution agencies. Get receipts for your donors! • Call your food distribution agency partners weekly to ask for donation reports. • Celebrate and publicize the donations. • Announce a final harvest date for your campaign. STEP 3: Publicize Your Campaign Publicity is the key to success. The first move is to publicize everything you do. Share your stories with local media and your social networks. Use the official PAR logo or even request your own logo, specially branded for your local committee. Request your logo and let GWA Foundation know about your committee’s activities by emailing [email protected]. STEP 4: Celebrate the Harvest Starting at midseason, enlist the media in building to the harvest party and cut-off date for recording donations. As the garden season peaks, the weekly totals will climb dramatically, so don’t give up on reporting the totals. It takes a newspaper, radio or TV host very little space to report climbing totals. Then, wrap up the campaign at the cut-off date with a harvest party. To get started today, please call us at 877-492-2727. Learn more about starting your PAR committee. GWA Foundation has PAR materials available to committees, including brochures, row markers and custom logos to denote your PAR gardens. For questions or additional information, contact us at 877-492-2727. 16 REGIONAL EVENTS GWA Webinar Series: Your Contract & Your Publisher, with John Hazard, GWA’s legal counsel. November 8, 2017 • 2 to 3 p.m. Connect: GWA @ New England Grows 2017 December 1, 2017 • 12:30 to 2 p.m. Connect (& More): GWA @ MANTS 2018 January 10, 2018 • 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Connect: GWA @ North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association Green & Growing Show 2018 January 18, 2018 • 6 to 7 p.m. REGION III Connect: GWA @ The Indiana Flower & Patio Show March 10, 2018 Breakfast at local restaurant, then early admission to the show at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Details to come. REGION IV MEETING Blooms, Bird & Hops Tour, Gloucester, Virginia, sponsored by Brent & Becky’s Bulbs Nuttall & Co. • April 7-8, 2018 Weekend of beautiful gardens and local charm. Enjoy three private garden tours, including the home of GWA President Becky Heath. REGION II MEETING Lily Pons & Garden Tours Frederick, Maryland • June 9, 2018 Daylong visit to Lilypons Water Garden, Surreybrooke, Thanksgiving Farms and private garden, culminating with GWA Connect at Mad Science Brewing Company. SAVE THE DATES August 13-16, 70th annual GWA Conference & Expo, Chicago September 15, GWA Career Next, Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens