As a volunteer for the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank, David Shea sees first hand how big a difference food donations can make for those in need.

Shea watches as area food banks struggles to have enough fresh vegetables to feed the hungry.

Drawing inspiration from the Garden Writers Association and their “Plant A Row For The Hungry” initiative, Shea is working to get the word out to local gardeners and growers in the hopes that they can help fill the need for fresh produce at local food banks.

“There are people who are going without food,” he said.

Fresh greens are among foods in highest demand at Helping Hand.

“Mothers will make a bee-line for whatever vegetables are there,” Shea said. “They know they need these things.”

Mount Si Helping Hand food bank is grateful for any help it gets.

Enthusiastic about the produce donation program are former food bank director Gail Gergasko and current director Chuck Talbert.

Talbert, a pastor at Bear Creek Church in Woodinville, has had a longtime interest in organic gardening and getting fresh produce to people who need it.

He started working with food banks many years ago and was transformed by the experience.

“I began to see that there was an incredible need out there,” Talbert said.

Determined to help make a difference, Talbert began teaching an organic gardening class that was free to anyone who agreed to contribute whatever produce they could to the food bank.

With that effort, Talbert met his goal of bringing more produce into the food bank — high-quality produce at that.

Talbert is excited by the prospects of Shea’s initiative. A similar effort in Spokane brought in 35,000 pounds of vegetables last year, and 11,000 pounds in Yakima.

“I know we can do that here,” Talbert said.

“I think it’s a fabulous idea,” Gergasko said. “Anything that we can do to help our community.”

For his part, Shea is willing to help transport whatever produce people are willing to give.

“All they have to do is call me,” Shea said. “It doesn’t matter if it goes to North Bend or Fall City as long as it gets to an organization that can use it.”

The Nursery at Mount Si in North Bend is promoting the program, both through with their seeds, vegetable and fruit stocks and with an upcoming vegetable workshop.

Nursery supervisor Cyndi Stuart said increasing numbers of Valley residents are interesting in planting their own vegetables.

“There’s a whole new wave of people who want to plant their own food,” she said.

However, most gardeners may not know that they can donate their own produce to help people.

“It’s a nice community trade,” Stuart said. “You’ve got the garden growing anyway, and you’ve got people that need it.”

• To learn more about Plant Another Row, contact David Shea at (425) 888-2409.