America’s Grow-a-Row

The issue

According to non-profit organisation, Feeding America, more than 812,000 New Jersey residents are experiencing hunger, including one in 10 children. 

While food security has improved since the height of the COVID-19 crisis, for some, the need is still great with the cost of consumer goods and services continuing to strain family budgets. People facing food insecurity in New Jersey are estimated to report needing $541,297,000 more per year to meet their food needs. 

It is critical that people suffering from food insecurity have fresh produce as a staple of their diets and to give children the nutrition they need to thrive.

America’s Grow-a-Row

AGAR is a charity based in New Jersey that donates 10 million servings of farm fresh produce annually to food banks, soup kitchens and food pantries across the wider Northeast region of the USA. 

Operating four farms in New Jersey, each year, AGAR produces approximately 20 varieties of fruits and vegetables, which are picked by their volunteers, to provide a range of healthy choices for people who are struggling to put healthy food on the table for their families.

AGAR continues to grow and give more farm-fresh fruits and vegetables than ever before, donating 65% more produce than pre-pandemic. Their work addresses issues of diabetes, obesity and other health concerns, and educates children from underserved communities on nutrition and agriculture through their Grow-a-Row Kids Farm Days. 

The project

Croda Foundation has awarded a grant of £80,645 to AGAR to support the continuation of the Fresh Produce Initiative in 2023, providing access to nutritious produce for people suffering from hunger, and to provide supportive healthy eating and hunger awareness education for another year.

The Foundation’s grant in 2022 enabled AGAR to donate 9.2 million servings of fresh produce, saw them engage and educate 6,675 volunteers and host 785 children from underserved communities at Grow-a-Row Kids Farm Days. 

Smart science

This project will continue to utilise seed coating technology for romaine lettuce seeds from Incotec, a Croda company. 

Coating seeds helps crops to be spaced more evenly and sown more precisely, meaning they don’t have to compete for water and nutrient uptake. This results in better yields and more families fed. 

Impact

100,000 beneficiaries 
Donate 2.6 million pounds – 10.4 million servings – of fresh produce to those in need
Educate 3,000 children and adults about nutrition and healthy eating, agriculture and hunger awareness
Host 1,000 children from underserved communities at Grow-a-Row Kids Farm Days