Holly Hirshberg, founder and executive director of The Dinner Garden, is taking a non-traditional approach to fighting hunger. Rather than collecting canned goods or donating money, she instead empowers people by giving them seeds. Why seeds? Well, according to Hirshberg, the reason is because she can, “help one time and it can help them for the rest of their lives.” For Holly, it’s not about handouts, it’s about providing rewarding and sustainable solutions to hunger. She practices what she preaches by collaborating with the local food banks, building partnerships with the likes of rareseeds.com, and fostering relationships with other non-profits and local businesses. What started out with a tomatillo and a dream is now enriching lives at a national level.
Hirshberg was generous enough to welcome me into her home, where she runs The Dinner Garden, gave me a tour of her operations, showed me the famous tomatillo, and sat down with me for this interview. If you are interested in helping in the fight against hunger, please reach out. They are currently looking for donors and volunteers.
I was first introduced to The Dinner Garden and Holly when she presented at the 2010 TEDxSanAntonio conference. Her sense of humor and down-to-earth presentation style made her an instant favorite among those in attendance. For more information, check out her presentation below and follow the links.
