Nonprofit Launches Free Toolkit to Boost Fresh Food Donations Across All 50 States

Newfoundland, NJ, May 05, 2026 --(PR.com)-- AmpleHarvest.org has launched a free toolkit for local, county and state officials to help connect gardeners who grow surplus produce with food pantries that need it.

The toolkit, available at no cost to governments, is designed for mayors, county executives, public health departments and state agencies. It directs officials to encourage food pantries in their communities to list or update their information in the AmpleHarvest.org directory, then point residents with surplus garden harvests to those pantries.

AmpleHarvest.org operates a national directory of more than 8,500 food pantries in nearly 5,700 communities across all 50 states that accept fresh fruit and vegetable donations. The gardening industry estimates that 62 million Americans grow fruits and vegetables at home or in community gardens.

The toolkit requires no new legislation, staffing or government management of food donations, the organization said.

"The solution does not require creating a new program, spending new money, or managing food donations," said Gary Oppenheimer, founder and executive director of AmpleHarvest.org. "It simply requires helping local food pantries become visible to gardeners and helping gardeners learn where and how to donate surplus harvests."

New Jersey Assemblywoman Aura K. Dunn said the toolkit illustrates how officials can address food access without expanding government programs. "Government does not always need to create a new program to help solve a local problem," Dunn said. "When local leaders help residents learn where to donate surplus harvests, they can strengthen food access using resources that already exist."

Rachel Redepenning, a public health educator with the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department in Nebraska, said her agency has used the approach.
"We're able to bridge the gap between overflowing gardens and empty plates in our community," Redepenning said.

Oppenheimer said the organization's long-term goal is for all of America's gardeners to know they can donate surplus produce to a nearby food pantry.

"It's a rare solution that works across geography, party lines and budget realities," he said. "The food is already growing. We just need local leaders to help make sure it gets to the people who need it."

The toolkit is available at www.AmpleHarvest.org/government.

About AmpleHarvest.org

AmpleHarvest.org is a 17-year-old award-winning nationwide nonprofit that enables America’s home and community gardeners to donate their surplus harvests to nearby food pantries. By removing the misinformation and missing information that historically prevented fresh garden produce from being donated, AmpleHarvest.org helps reduce hunger, malnutrition, and fresh food waste in all 50 states. The organization works in more than 5,700 communities nationwide and has been recognized for its innovative, scalable, zero-logistics solution to improving fresh food access.