The Alabama Cooperative Extension System has initiated the 250 Pound Challenge to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary. This campaign, part of the Grow More, Give More initiative, encourages gardeners across Alabama to collectively grow and donate 250 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. The challenge aims to address food insecurity, which affects around 2 million residents in Alabama, including one in four children.
Bethany O’Rear, a home horticulture agent at Auburn University, has been leading the Grow More, Give More project since its inception in 2020. “The roots of Grow More, Give More date back to the pandemic,” she explained. “It was a modern-day Victory Garden approach. We encourage gardeners to plant an extra row specifically for donation. Alabama Extension provides resources to help participants succeed in growing and connect them with donation sites.”
Details of the Challenge
The 250 Pound Challenge runs from May 25, 2025, through September 7, 2025. To participate, gardeners should plant a garden this spring, adding extra rows or additional container plants. During harvest, they are encouraged to set aside surplus produce for donation. All donations count, whether given to local food banks, community kitchens, places of worship, or even directly to neighbors.
To contribute to county totals, gardeners must report their donations through an online survey available on the 250 Pound Challenge web page at aces.edu/go/250Challenge. The site also links to county-specific donation centers that accept fresh produce.
O’Rear hopes the challenge will foster friendly competition among county groups. “Gardeners can participate individually or collaborate with others,” she noted. “This might be the perfect time to start a community garden and donate surplus produce.”
Participants can choose from a variety of crops, but certain vegetables may help achieve donation goals more efficiently. O’Rear highlighted options such as beans, squash, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, southern peas, and okra as particularly productive choices. “A few donations of watermelons and cantaloupes will tip the scales toward 250 pounds quickly!” she added.
Making an Impact
Food insecurity remains a critical issue in Alabama, with the Grow More, Give More initiative empowering home gardeners to contribute to the solution. O’Rear emphasized the significance of community service during this historic celebration. “If every county grows and gives just 250 pounds of fresh produce, the collective impact will be powerful. This is about neighbors helping neighbors — and Extension facilitating that process.”
In 2025, participants in the Grow More, Give More initiative donated an impressive 21,563 pounds of produce, benefiting thousands of families across Alabama. Extension leaders are optimistic that the 250 Pound Challenge will significantly elevate these contributions in 2026.
“This is a simple but meaningful way for individuals, families, Extension Master Gardeners, and community groups to celebrate our country’s legacy by strengthening our local communities,” O’Rear stated.
The program welcomes gardeners of all experience levels. Alabama Extension provides research-based resources for container gardens, raised beds, traditional in-ground gardens, pest management, and production guidance. For more information, visit aces.edu and search for Grow More, Give More or 250 Pound Challenge. For additional assistance, contact O’Rear at [email protected] or 205-612-9524. Local Extension home horticulture agents are also available for support.
