West Milford resident founded non-profit connecting gardeners to food pantries nationwide

AmpleHarvest.org, a national nonprofit organization that connects home gardeners with local food pantries to reduce hunger and food waste, was founded 17 years ago by West Milford resident Gary Oppenheimer.

The organization was created to address surplus produce grown by home gardeners and redirect it to food pantries serving people in need. Oppenheimer said the concept grew from managing a local community garden and learning that excess food often went to waste at the end of the growing season.

“What started as one garden and a conversation became a nationwide effort,” Oppenheimer said.

AmpleHarvest.org provides an online search tool that allows gardeners to locate nearby food pantries that accept fresh produce. The organization currently operates in all 50 states, serving more than 5,800 communities and connecting over 8,300 food pantries. Its goal is to reach 10,000 communities nationwide.

One of the organization’s earliest food pantry partners was St. Mary’s in Pompton Plains.

Oppenheimer said AmpleHarvest.org focuses on opportunity rather than geography, connecting food where it is grown to places where it is needed. He noted that hunger and malnutrition exist in every county in the country, but gardening opportunities vary widely.

AmpleHarvest.org has received support from several major partners, including Google, which provides monthly in-kind advertising assistance, and Amazon, which is working with the organization on data management. The nonprofit has also received recognition from national leaders, including former First Lady Michelle Obama.

The organization has expanded its educational outreach through ProducePedia, a resource that provides information about donated produce items, allowing recipient families to learn how to identify and prepare unfamiliar foods using QR codes.

Oppenheimer said AmpleHarvest.org plans to launch two seasonal initiatives aimed at increasing donations from gardeners: Plant for Hunger Month in April and Harvest for Hunger Month in August.

According to the organization, a pre-pandemic analysis by a Harvard-trained economist estimated that widespread participation by gardeners and food pantries could reduce national health care costs by billions of dollars annually due to improved nutrition. Updated estimates place the potential savings at $80 billion.

AmpleHarvest.org operates primarily through donations and volunteers. The organization is currently seeking volunteers to assist with outreach to tribal communities, educational animation projects, and board development.