Today's guest blogger, Gary Oppenheimer, shares some details about a great cause, the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign, a nationwide effort to educate, encourage and enable gardeners with extra produce to easily donate to a local food pantry. 

While 41 million Americans grow food in home gardens, 49 million Americans are at real risk of not having enough food for their families.

But, it doesn’t have to be this way.

The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign (backed by Google Inc., the USDA, The National Gardening Association, and many faith and service organizations) enables gardeners who grow food to enjoy, preserve or share with friends and neighbors, to donate the excess to a local food pantry.

Initially rolled out in May 2009, nearly 2,200 food pantries across all 50 states now participate with more signing up every day. We were even highlighted on “CNN Heroes” earlier this year. Right now, AmpleHarvest.org is working with the USDA and food banks in the Gulf Region to help local food pantries meet the increased demand for assistance brought about by the oil spill.

Gardeners who donate some of their harvest not only diminish hunger in their community, they also help to improve the environment – all without spending a dime.

You can help us to diminish hunger in your community and throughout America in a number of ways:

1. Please share this information with your friends and family across the country. Don’t forget backyard, patio and kitchen gardeners, as well as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members who may occasionally receive more produce than they can personally use.

2. Share this link with a food pantry in your community so they can register to accept donations.

3. Think about asking your local garden shop or nursery to help their customers learn about AmpleHarvest.org by posting this flier.

4. Let your hometown television and radio stations, and newspapers know about the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign.

5. Most importantly, if you are a home gardener, please be generous with your excess harvest. You are one of 41 million gardeners in America who, garden by garden, can diminish hunger in your community.

We know times are tough, but with your support, the AmpleHarvest.org Campaign enables people like you to help neighbors in need by reaching into their own backyards instead of their own back pockets. To learn more about our cause and to easily find a list of pantries accepting donations, visit www.AmpleHarvest.org, or try using the free AmpleHarvest iPhone app.