Providing fresh produce is the first step to a healthier, thriving community.
Harvesting Hope North Carolina
Gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest.
At Harvesting Hope NC, we have adopted sustainable practices, we don't use synthetic/caustic chemicals because we want to minimize our impact on the environment, and by working with beneficials we can support our thriving insect and wildlife population.
Harvesting Hope North Carolina is a Johnston County, NC 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing food for those in need while offering various gardening and educational programs to help people learn how to grow their food and establish a resilient food system.
Founded by Tiffany Whichard in 2018, Harvesting Hope currently oversees the "Plant a Row for the Hungry" program in Johnston County, NC. Each year, we provide thousands of pounds fresh, locally grown produce to local food kitchens and food banks.
As an all-volunteer organization, Harvesting Hope NC gets their produce two ways:
A 1/2-acre organic, raised bed garden in Smithfield on land provided by the wonderful people at the JCC Arboretum, where they plan, plant, grow and harvest fruits and vegetables every year; and
Through partnerships we’ve fostered over the years with local farms, where we glean their fields, allowing for a much larger yield for local food banks and soup kitchens.
Harvesting Hope NC hopes to continue working with the JCC Arboretum for years to come. However, to meet the growing needs of our community, we’ll need to expand operations. A new site would allow us to grow more produce and be more proactive in the community by offering additional community programs and services for families in need. These programs and services would include:
Classes and workshops that teach people how to grow their own food, no matter where they live or work;
Educational programs that work with communities with different abilities and needs, to get them interested in gardening as a way to relieve stress or even lead to employment opportunities in the future; and
Group volunteer opportunities for local businesses, clubs and organizations.
Want to learn more about our land needs and how you can help?
