In 2014, one member of the AmpleHarvest.org team took on the “SNAP challenge” and documented it in a 4 part series. She and her husband took on the voluntary challenge of committing to eating on a budget that was the monetary equivalent of the average daily SNAP benefit (which is currently about $10 per person per day) for a week. The challenge was intended to help participants understand the difficult decisions people on a limited budget must make between purchasing nutritious foods and covering other basic costs like housing, utilities, and medical care.
Participating in the challenge was a choice for her family, and had they failed, they could have reverted to a “normal” diet at any time. For millions of families today however, there is no reverting to normal.
With SNAP benefits (as of Nov 4, 2025) delayed and being cut in half (and potentially facing a total suspension in the future), and a government shutdown underway, food pantries across America are feeling the strain. Millions of families are uncertain about their next meal – but there’s good news: you can help right now.
At AmpleHarvest.org, we connect millions of gardeners with food pantries in more than 5,800 communities nationwide. Together, we make sure surplus harvests reach families in need instead of going to waste. And today, your garden – or your grocery basket – can make a real difference.
Gardeners, your harvests matter
If your garden is still producing, you can share that fresh food with neighbors in need. Whether it’s greens, herbs, winter crops, or citrus, your surplus can fill empty plates.
- Visit AmpleHarvest.org/find-pantry.
- Harvest and drop off your food during the pantry’s donation hours.
- Know your produce will reach a family’s table within hours of the harvest.
No middleman, no storage, no waste – just good food doing good work.
No garden? No problem
Even if your growing season has ended, you can still help. Buy fresh produce from a farmers market, CSA, or local grocery and donate it to a nearby pantry listed on AmpleHarvest.org. It’s a simple, high-impact act that helps pantries keep up with rising demand when federal programs pause.
Encourage friends, coworkers, and faith groups to join you. A handful of people donating ta few bags of produce can keep a pantry stocked with healthy food all week.
Help us double our reach
Gardening or not, you can help AmpleHarvest.org reach more communities. We’re working to double our reach to 10,000 communities in the next three years, ensuring that fresh, local food is available to every pantry and every family that needs it.
When you donate to AmpleHarvest.org, you’re not just feeding a family – you’re strengthening an entire system. Our “zero-logistics” model means no costly trucks, warehouses, or refrigeration are needed. We simply connect people who have food with local food pantries, to make it immediately available to those who need it.
Why it matters
When SNAP benefits stop, food pantries become the lifeline for millions. Yet many pantries struggle to stock fresh produce. AmpleHarvest.org fixes that by eliminating misinformation (“pantries can’t take fresh food”) and missing information (where to find them). The result is healthier food reaching more families, faster.
Hope in action
You don’t need to be wealthy or run an organization to make a difference. Every gardener and every neighbor who donates a few pounds of fresh produce plays a vital role in keeping America’s food system strong and the people they serve, healthy.
Visit AmpleHarvest.org to:
- Find a local pantry and donate fresh food.
- Encourage others to do the same.
- Contribute directly to help us expand our impact or Text PRODUCE to 44321 to help end hunger and fresh food waste.
Together, we can turn this challenging moment into one of generosity, connection, and hope – one garden, one pantry, one act of kindness at a time.
