Pam Mccallum’s love for gardening started when she was a kid: “I remember getting so mad at my brothers for like being in the backyard and like kicking their ball into the garden.”
Today, her backyard is a lot bigger. And so is her harvest.
Right now she has tomatoes, lemons, kale and cucumbers. It changes every week and season. But there’s only so much one household can eat.
That’s where Fresh Food Connect comes in. Through the app, gardeners can sign up to donate their extra produce…
"If I hadn't found this program, I wouldn't be able to garden at this level because it's producing more than we could possibly use and more than my neighbors want," Mccallum says.
And Healthy Day Partners helps get it to local organizations serving people in need.
“Pam just happens to be the biggest produce donor in the country through this app," Mim Michelove, CEO and President of Healthy Day Partners says.
In the last 4 years, she’s donated close to 1500 pounds of produce, and over 500 already this year.
Turns out Pam didn’t even know she was the biggest produce donor in the entire country on the Fresh Food Connect app. And she’s not doing it for the recognition.
“I've always kind of felt like if you're in a position where you can make someone's life easier, you should.” Mccallum says.
Its also her quiet time: “I just put on my podcast and… just do my thing.”
But there is plenty of work that goes into just doing her thing.
“It’s a lot of problem solving," Mccallum says.
Squirrels, pests and figuring out why one plant is thriving while another refuses to cooperate. “Just try it… and see how it goes," Mccallum says.
And when that little experiment works, there’s a pretty good payoff.
Fresh food that might otherwise have gone to waste, instead making its way to someone who needs it.
“We’d much rather have it nourishing people than ending up in the landfill," Michelove says.
Pam says you don't need a backyard like hers to make a difference; “It’s amazing how much you can get out of one cucumber plant or one tomato plant.”
So maybe the next time your garden gives you more than you need, don’t toss it! There might be someone nearby who could use it.
