Friends of Donegal is gearing up for another season of feeding the community, and the organization can use your help. A planting event will be held at the nonprofit's community garden, located at Donegal Presbyterian Church, 1891 Donegal Springs Road, Mount Joy, from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 16.

"This is a kid-friendly event," said Andrea Riefenstahl, president of Friends of Donegal, noting that people of all ages are invited to help with the planting. "This is a 3.5-acre space that Friends of Donegal uses to provide free fresh produce to our community members with food insecurity challenges."

People are encouraged to bring their own gardening tools to plant vegetables and flowers.

"Friends of Donegal is providing a free pair of garden gloves to everyone who comes out that day," Riefenstahl shared.

People will help with bed prepping, planting and some mulching.

Friends of Donegal began about four years ago with a mission to support members of the community.

"Our three free programs are Getting Ahead in a Just Getting By World, Donegal Community Gardens and Donegal Power Packs," Riefenstahl said.

The organization operates three gardens, covering more than 5 acres of land. In addition to the one at Donegal Presbyterian, sites are located at Florin Church, where some plots are still available for families or individuals, and Mount Joy Mennonite church, where bulk vegetables like potatoes are grown. The garden at Donegal Presbyterian includes 15 varieties of vegetables. New this year, it will include sweet corn and a variety of annual and perennial flowers. Friends of Donegal also recently purchased a shed from Glick Woodworks to protect tools and equipment.

The gardens have proven to be very successful, Riefenstahl said. In 2024, 1,000 pounds of produce was donated. In 2025, that number rose to 2,100 pounds, and the goal for this year is 3,500 pounds.

"Power Packs currently serves about 80 families. We feed about 300 people every other week; almost half that number comprise children in the Donegal School District," Riefenstahl said. "We are giving 35 to 40 pounds of food at each distribution."

Along with the community planting day, Friends of Donegal relies on help from volunteers at other times to get the gardens ready.

"The senior apartment residents helped for two Saturdays in March to start our initial planting," Riefenstahl said. "They were able to do about 2,000 that went into our three greenhouses that will be planted during the May 16 event."

Adding flowers to the garden this year will provide another way to support families, she noted.

"We would love to bless our hardworking moms, dads (and) guardians with a bouquet of flowers as they pick up their Power Packs food," she said.

She encourages people to come out for the community planting day, noting that it will be an opportunity for fellowship and service.

"You are giving back to the community and helping to support vulnerable populations - children and adults with food insecurity challenges," she said. "Everyone needs to eat to learn, to live and to thrive."

Water and light snacks will be available at the planting event. A portable toilet will also be on-site.

For more information on Friends of Donegal, visit https://donegalfriends.org or search for "FOD - Friends of Donegal" on Facebook. For additional information on the planting day, email andi@friendsofdonegal.org.