Grow Your Own Row
NEW Hunger Coalition launched a new program in spring 2023 that teaches and equips food pantry clients to grow their own food. This amazing program is now sponsored by Teck American and Better Health Together in cooperation with WSU Stevens County Extension. In addition, a host of master gardeners and community volunteers assist in make this program possible.
The Project
Every spring NEW Hunger Coalition rolls out vegetable gardening classes at all 18 of our food pantries. Pantry clients receive hands on instruction, and everything needed to begin growing their own healthy vegetables. Through grants and donations, we are able to provide free vegetable starts-all grown locally. Clients get to ‘shop’ at the free seed table. Through grants and donations each person gets access to potting soil, planters, garden stakes and even a trowel. Participants will receive follow-up support through the growing season. Grow Your Own Row program helps people feed themselves.
This program is run by an energetic group of staff and volunteers that make up the Grow Your Own Row Committee. Master gardeners assist with education. Volunteers receive, sort and label seeds. Each class takes about five people-someone has to lift that soil. Contact Dianna Michaels if you want to help people grow food for themselves 509-680-2679.
The Challenge
With the loss of SNAP-Education funding, NEW Hunger Coalition faced closure of this viable program that equips food pantry clients to grow their own food. We continue to seek funding partners to provide sustainability of this program.
Grateful thanks to Teck American and Better Health Together for bridging the financial gap to keep Grow Your Own Row available to food pantry clients in Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille Counties
The Results
Grow Your Own Row had 298 participants in its first year. In 2024 the program increased to equipping 392 people to Grow their own vegetables.
2025 saw 429 participants learn to grow their own vegetables.
2025 Impact Survey Results:
- 60% of participants had little or no garden experience
- 93% harvested tomatoes
- 92% harvested basil
- 81% harvested onions
- 77% harvested peppers
- 84% self-selected free seeds to take home and 88% of those planted their seeds.
“The Sungold Tomatoes are doing amazing, they will make great sauces and salsa.”
Stories from the Field
Kyla signing up people for Grow Your Own Row
Client planting her container veggie garden through Grow Your Own Row
We love it when kids get involved in gardening
Food Pantry clients lined up the street for Grow Your Own Row Class
Project Partners
This work would not be possible without the generous support of these partners.
Photo Gallery
Republic Grow Your Own Row Class 2024
Tomato plant food pantry client grew
