During the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are relying on food pantries for their next meal. It's why two national organizations have teamed up to launch an initiative called "Grow More. Feed More."

"It really harkens back to victory gardens which started way back in World War I and World War II where neighbors planted extra vegetables to help feed other neighbors,” said Mike Sutterer, president and CEO of Bonnie Plants. 

The nation’s largest producer of vegetable plants, Bonnie Plants partnered with AmpleHarvest.org to connect home gardeners to food pantries. 

"They come to ampleharvest.org and use us as a search engine just like you would use google for example to find a food pantry that wants to receive the food that is in their community,” said Gary Oppenheimer, founder and executive director of AmpleHarvest.org. 

Anyone can use their garden to help the hungry. They have even started working with smaller farm owners that are able to help too. 

"Just by planting one vegetable plant like this little guy right here in your garden and donating the surplus harvest to a local food pantry near you,” said Sutterer. 

Oppenheimer said, "Everybody wants to do their best to avoid getting sick. Being healthy involves a nutritious diet, meaning that the more healthy fresh good you get, the better your resistance."

Lorraine's, Project Hope and the Salvation Army in Western Mass, People First in Uxbridge and locations in Worcester, like Catholic Charities, are among the 9,000 pantries being connected.

"It takes that fresh produce directly from the home garden while its still fresh, delivers it to the food pantry and it ends up on someones table sometimes in as little as in 24 hours,” said Sutterer. 

While their goal is to encourage gardeners to donate ten million pounds of home grown vegetables this season, having fresh produce available at local food pantries can make a difference even after the pandemic is over.

"Fresh food coming in enables people in food pantries to eat healthier, less type-2 diabetes, less childhood obesity, less any other diet related disease,” said Oppenheimer. 

Anyone who would like to get involved can find more details on ampleharvest.org/covid and bonnieplants.com/gardening/grow-more-feed-more/. 

Bonnie Plants will also be donating 5% of all plant sales until July 31 to AmpleHarvest.org. COVID-19 safety protocols are in place at all food pantries they partner with to ensure the food is transferred safely.