From Planting to Plate: Wegmans Team Feeds Local Families

In a powerful demonstration of community commitment, Wegmans employees, recently completed a full-circle volunteer initiative: planting, harvesting, and delivering fresh produce to local families in need.

Through a partnership with America’s Grow-a-Row (AGAR), Wegmans team members began their journey in the fields, planting rows of zucchini with the shared goal of fighting food insecurity. Weeks later, they returned to harvest the ripe produce and hand-deliver it to the Interfaith Food Pantry Network in Morris Plains, where it would be distributed directly to pantry guests.

“Every zucchini planted was a promise to our community,” said Chip Paillex, President and Founder of America’s Grow-a-Row. “This year’s partnership with Wegmans exemplifies what it means to come together in service and create transformational impact.”

The program reflects Wegmans’ deep-rooted values and a commitment to making a difference beyond the walls of its stores.

“At Wegmans, giving back to our community reflects one of our core values: Making a Difference,” said Sharon Fielding of Wegmans. “The opportunity to participate in a full-circle harvest from planting and picking to delivering fresh vegetables deeply supports our mission to help create healthier, better lives for our customers and our community.”

The produce was delivered to the Interfaith Food Pantry Network, where it helped feed individuals and families across Morris County. Leaders at the pantry emphasized the significance of the hands-on collaboration and the positive impact it had on the community.

“The Interfaith Food Pantry Network is a community of neighbors helping neighbors, grounded in strong, collaborative partnerships,” said Carolyn Lake, Executive Director of the Interfaith Food Pantry. “Recently, two of our key partners: Hanover Wegmans and America’s Grow-a-Row came together in a powerful way. Longtime supporters and volunteers from Wegmans joined America’s Grow-a-Row in planting and harvesting fresh zucchini, which was then shared with our pantry guests. This kind of hands-on, innovative collaboration is vital to building sustainable solutions to food insecurity and improving the health and well-being of our community.”

Together, Wegmans, America’s Grow-a-Row, and the Interfaith Food Pantry Network are demonstrating how corporate and nonprofit partnerships can extend beyond financial support to create meaningful, lasting change. By connecting the act of growing food directly with feeding neighbors, this initiative serves as a model for community-driven solutions to hunger.