Plant a Giving Garden

Each week the IOCP Food Shelf serves 200+ households. Help keep our shelves stocked with fresh produce by planting a giving garden!

In Spring:

• Set aside space on your school/workplace lawn or in your backyard
• Determine what produce you would like to grow
• Plant!
  

In Summer:

• Make sure to weed and water as needed
  
  

In Fall:

• Harvest all your fresh produce
• Reach out to [email protected] or complete the large donation form (iocp.org/large-donations)to let IOCP know what and how much you will be bringing to donate
• Pack it up in boxes or bags
• Drop it off at the IOCP Donation Door during regular hours (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friadys 10am - 5pm) - make sure to let staff know you are dropping off fresh produce so we can refrigerate it if needed

Most Requested Produce Items (also grows well in MN):

• Herbs (basil, dill, rosemary, etc.)
• Kale
• Beets
• Watermelon
• Brussels Sprouts
• Carrots
• Tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Onions
• Cantaloupe
• Peppers

Turn this into a fun, team building activity! Encourage classes or teams to plant and take care of specific items or areas of your garden to see who can grow the most.

Contact the IOCP Community Engagement Team with questions at [email protected].