Celebrating a Season of Growth and Gratitude: 2025 Food Pantry Gardens Wrap-Up
As we wrap up the 2025 season at the UVLT Food Pantry Gardens, we’re reflecting with full hearts on a year that proved both challenging and deeply rewarding. Even as drought conditions tested us through the second half of the season, the dedication of our volunteers carried us through. Thanks to the hundreds of hours they spent planting, watering, weeding, harvesting, and showing up week after week, we were able to donate more than 2,820 pounds of fresh produce—that’s 9,777 servings—to our community partners.
We are profoundly grateful for every person who joined us, whether at our weekly workdays or during one of our weekend sessions. New volunteers brought fresh energy, and new garden infrastructure—made possible through generous grant support—helped us meet the season’s challenges head-on. Together, these efforts allowed us to donate nearly 1,000 pounds more than last year.
Our work is strengthened every day by the partnerships that help connect our harvest to the neighbors who need it most. We’re thankful for organizations like Willing Hands, the Claremont Soup Kitchen, the Charlestown Food Shelf, and the Claremont Senior Center, whose teams distribute or prepare nutritious meals from the food grown in our gardens. We’re also grateful for the many community supporters who helped fund important infrastructure upgrades at both garden sites this year.
At Brookmead Garden, we extend our thanks to:
- Ben & Jerry’s Community Grant, for supporting seeds for the 2025 season
- Norwich Lions Club, for their investment in our Garden Internship program
- Norwich Women’s Club, for funding soil amendments and essential new tools
At Up on the Hill Garden, we deeply appreciate:
- NH Electric Co-op, for supporting a rain barrel system and new tools
- UNH Master Gardeners, for providing seeds for the coming season
To all of our volunteers, partners, and supporters: thank you. Your time, generosity, and commitment make this work possible. The impact of these gardens reaches far beyond the rows of vegetables—it reaches into homes, strengthens community connections, and ensures that our neighbors have access to fresh, healthy food.
As the gardens settle into their winter rest, we’re already looking ahead with excitement. Planning for the 2026 season has begun, and we can’t wait to grow alongside you once again.
