Pennsylvania Horticultural Society launches Harvest 2020 Initiative

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) believes all people can play a role in combating food insecurity. PHS is launching Harvest 2020, a multi-faceted initiative aimed at mobilizing 100,000 gardening enthusiasts and other individuals in the Greater Philadelphia region to grow food for themselves in their individual gardens, share food grown within their communities and with local hunger relief organizations, donate funds for food gardening education, or to help supply gardening resources to people in underserved communities. The initiative is timely with the food growing season underway, along with the increased demand for fresh food during the COVID-19 crisis. The expected collective action from Harvest 2020 will bring at least 5 million pounds of fresh produce to Philadelphia-area kitchens and food banks, supporting the health and well-being of communities across the region.

The current PHS community is comprised of over 300,000 people and works in more than 250 neighborhoods throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. Harvest 2020 will involve thousands of gardeners around Philadelphia by asking them to commit as a grower (someone who grows food for themselves and their family); a sharer (one who commits to donating food through hunger relief organizations or directly within their communities); or a donor (someone who supports Harvest 2020 efforts through a monetary donation). Harvest 2020 has been designed for anyone to participate, from individuals that haven’t gardened before and are looking for healthy food for their family, to those with gardening expertise that can grow enough to share and help support food banks that serve those most in need.

Partners are welcome to participate in Harvest 2020 by providing donations to support the initiative. Sponsors are also invited to participate, with a number of opportunities available to help PHS amplify its food growing/sharing message across Greater Philadelphia. Potential partners and sponsors should contact Jimmy Owens, VP Business Development, at jowens@pennhort.org.

For more information on Harvest 2020, or to pledge as a grower, sharer, or donor, visit PHSonline.org/harvest2020, or call 215-988-8897. Updates on the initiative can be found via PHS’s social media using #PHSHarvest2020.