GIFT Gardens Invites Gardeners to Grow Food, Fight Hunger

DAVENPORT, IOWA – April 24, 2025 — The taste of a fresh cucumber, the joy of picking a tomato, the fun of watching a cabbage form—gardeners across the Quad Cities are invited to experience these moments AND make a difference. A new initiative called GIFT Gardens (Growing Illowa Food Together) is launching this spring to assemble a community of beginner to advanced gardeners who will grow and donate fresh produce to local food pantries.

The program is a partnership between Tapestry Farms, University of Illinois Extension, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and River Bend Food Bank. Together, they’re calling on individuals and organizations to grow with purpose and fight hunger in the region.

“GIFT Gardens is a chance for people to dig in and make a real difference,” said Ann McGlynn, Executive Director of Tapestry Farms. “Whether you have a pot on your patio or a full backyard garden, every fruit, vegetable, or herb grown and donated helps nourish someone in our community.”

Participants are invited to attend an orientation session where they will learn more about the program, be connected to a pantry, and receive gardening guidance from horticulture professionals. Session options are on Tuesday, May 6 at 7 p.m. or Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m. Both will take place at Tapestry Farms office at 121 W. 12th Street, Davenport, Iowa 52803. Attendance is not required to participate in the GIFT Gardens program.

“Nurturing a vegetable garden from planting to production is extremely rewarding and few foods are as delicious as garden fresh produce,” said Emily Swihart, Extension Educator, Horticulture, University of Illinois. “We are here to support home gardeners on their growing journey by providing planting, care, and harvesting resources. In return, we are asking that you share a bit of your success—your produce—with your neighbors in need.”

For more information and to sign up, visit https://shorturl.at/7TGJE. Questions? Email giftgardens@tapestryfarms.org.

About Tapestry Farms: Tapestry Farms generously invests in the lives of refugees who resettle in the Quad Cities, focusing on access, urban farming, and building a welcoming future. The organization persistently works to eliminate barriers refugees face in areas such as housing, education, medical and mental health care, employment, food, transportation, community belonging, and the path to citizenship. Through its urban farm program, Tapestry Farms reclaims underutilized land in neighborhoods experiencing food insecurity, growing culturally responsive produce so that everyone in the community can be abundantly fed. At the heart of their mission is a vision for the future—one where trusted connections form the foundation of a Quad City-wide welcoming infrastructure, ensuring a vibrant and thriving community for all, including refugees. To learn more, visit: https://www.tapestryfarms.org/

About River Bend Food Bank: River Bend Food Bank, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, feeds people experiencing hunger by rescuing, safely storing, and distributing nutritious food through more than 400 hunger-relief partners in 23 counties in eastern Iowa and western Illinois. To learn more, visit: https://riverbendfoodbank.org/

"Now more than ever, we need these kinds of creative collaborations across organizations to address the impact of federal funding cuts. Because of the elimination of successful programs like LFPA (Local Food Purchases Assistance Program) and government food commodities through the Emergency Food Assistance Program, we are facing a reduction of 265,000 meals across our 23-county service area; and while we are well resourced, there is no single organization that can fill that gap without some help, which is why I'm so proud of this expanded partnership with Tapestry Farms. The GIFT Gardens program will help build momentum and keep us focused on working to build stronger and healthier communities by feeding those families who face food insecurity."- Chris Ford, CEO | River Bend Food Bank

About University of Illinois Extension: University of Illinois Extension links local communities to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, to develop programs, tools, and knowledge that will support needed change. The mission of the University of Illinois Extension is to develop educational programs, extend knowledge, and build partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state’s land-grant institution. To learn more, visit: https://extension.illinois.edu/

“We’re super excited about this partnership! Good food brings people together, so it feels appropriate that a project like this one is made up of so many awesome organizations working together to advocate for taking care of each other.” MITCHELL WALKER, Extension Program Coordinator, SNAP-Education | Illinois Nutrition Education Programs

About Iowa State University Extension: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach builds a strong Iowa by engaging all Iowans in research, education, and extension experiences to address current and emerging real-life challenges. Their work aims to advance land-grant values by engaging all Iowans in solving today's problems and preparing for a thriving future. To learn more, visit: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/

"Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Scott County is proud to support the GIFT Gardens initiative. Together, we can grow a healthier, more resilient community and ensure that all our neighbors have access to fresh, nutritious produce. We are grateful to partner with several amazing organizations to tackle food insecurity with innovation!" SAMANTHA CULVER, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Scott County | County Director