A team of volunteers helps transport hundreds of pounds of produce to our local food bank each week during harvest season. Photo: The Arboretum at Penn State/Penn State

The Penn State Arboretum donated almost 2,000 pounds of fresh produce to our local food bank last year!

At the Arboretum’s Childhood’s Gate Children’s Garden, vegetables are grown in raised planters that serve as a teaching opportunity for kids to understand where their food comes from. And nearby, in the Pollinator and Bird Garden, herbs and veggies are grown to show the role pollinators play in producing our food.

Once a week during harvest season, the produce is gathered up and refrigerated before being transported via a team of volunteers to the State College Food Bank, where the fresh items are a patron favorite.

Want to get involved? Learn more about volunteering at the Arboretum or the State College Food Bank (now at home in its new, larger location on Gerald Street!)