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Are you a backyard gardener growing your own fruits and vegetables? Don’t have a garden but end up with extra produce at the end of the week? Make a difference for area families by dropping off items at the library every Monday morning by 10 a.m., where they will be picked up by Plant a Row Lehigh Valley and distributed to local groups providing food assistance.

A national organization now in its third year, Plant a Row encourages backyard gardeners to plant an extra row and to donate the produce to local food pantries and free meal centers. They also gladly accept overflow produce.

This is the second year the library has served as a drop-off location, with the produce collected going directly to three area organizations: Zionsville Lutheran Food Pantry, Bethel Bible Fellowship Groceries PLUS, and Casa Guadalupe.

To participate, just drop off your donation in the special cooler located outside the library’s entrance from late Sunday evening through Monday morning at 10 a.m. If a different day or time is more convenient, check the full list of drop-off locations to find one that better fits your schedule. Plant a Row picks up at 18 locations every week throughout the Lehigh Valley, including Emmaus, Macungie and Center Valley.

In 2018, donations to Plant a Row LV totaled more than 6,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables — a 20 percent increase over its first year. Since its launch in 2016, more than 300 local gardeners have contributed over 14,000 pounds of produce to feed the hungry. That’s a lot of green beans and broccoli!