High Desert Food & Farm Alliance kicks off its 10th season of Grow & Give

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- High Desert Food & Farm Alliance is thrilled to kick off its 10th season of Grow & Give. This program collects locally grown fresh produce from farm gleans, farmers markets, community gardens and home gardeners from May through November.

The program serves the dual purpose of reducing food waste and delivering nutritious produce to our regional hunger relief agencies for our Central Oregon neighbors experiencing food insecurity.  

Grow & Give is the largest program of its kind in Central Oregon, with a strong track record of food recovery and redistribution. In 2024 we collected over 31,000 pounds of produce that might otherwise have gone to waste, contributing to a total of 214,121.77 pounds - the equivalent of approximately 152,000 meals - recovered  since the program’s launch in 2016.

We also support Central Oregon’s agricultural sector by reimbursing local farms for the produce they provide.  Over the past five years, HDFFA has distributed more than $79,000 in payments to our Grow & Give farming partners.  

This year, we’re aiming to increase program donations by 15%—and our community's support couldn’t be more important. Our regional food bank partner, NeighborImpact, is seeing a 17% drop in food from the Oregon Food Bank due to funding cuts, with fresh produce being hit the hardest. This reduction trickles down to each local food bank and hunger relief agency in Central Oregon. Together, we can fill the gap and ensure families in our community still have access to healthy, nourishing food. 

We invite you to participate in Grow & Give in its 10th season (and beyond)!  Ways to get involved include: 

• Volunteering for glean teams! Register at www.hdffa.org/volunteer to get notified of gleaning opportunities on beautiful farms throughout Central Oregon this growing season. 

• Donating your own garden’s bounty! Gardeners can bring excess produce from their own gardens to HDFFA’s booths at the Downtown Bend and Northwest Crossing Farmers Markets. Don’t let your carrots and zucchini go to waste – HDFFA will get them to our partner hunger relief organizations. 

• Financially supporting the local food system. Your donation will help HDFFA sustain this vital program for the next 10 years, expanding food access through locally sourced produce. www.hdffa.org/donate,  

Grow & Give is made possible with support from Republic Services, Chrysantha Foundation, and our partnership with NeighborImpact. 

Have questions? Contact us at growandgive@hdffa.org