授之以鱼还是授之以渔？

itwasacoldnightinwashington,d.c.,andiwasheadingbacktothehotelwhenamanapproachedme.heaskedifiwouldgivehimsomemoneysohecouldgetsomethingtoeat.idreadthesigns:"dontgivemoneytopanhandlers."soishookmyheadandkeptwalking.

iwasntpreparedforareply,butwithresignation,hesaid,"ireallyamhomelessandireallyamhungry!youcancomewithmeandwatchmeeat!"butikeptonwalking.

theincidentbotheredmefortherestoftheweek.ihadmoneyinmypocketanditwouldnthavekilledmetohandoverabuckortwoevenifhehadbeenlying.onafrigid,coldnight,noless,iassumedtheworstofafellowhumanbeing.

flyingbacktoanchorage,icouldnthelpthinkingofhim.itriedtorationalizemyfailuretohelpbyassuminggovernmentagencies,churchesandcharitiesweretheretofeedhim.besides,yourenotsupposedtogivemoneytopanhandlers.

somewhereoverseattle,istartedtowritemyweeklygardencolumnfortheanchoragedailynews.outoftheblue,icameupwithanidea.beanscafe,thesoupkitcheninanchorage,feedshundredsofhungryalaskanseveryday.whynottrytogetallmyreaderstoplantonerowintheirgardensdedicatedtobeans?dedicatearowandtakeitdowntobeans.cleanandsimple.

wedidntkeeprecordsbackthen,buttheideabegantotakeoff.folkswouldfaxmeorcallwhentheytooksomethingin.thosewhoonlygrewflowersdonatedthem.foodforthespirit.andsalveformyconscience.

in1995,thegardenwritersassociationofamericaheldtheirannualconventioninanchorageandafterlearningofanchoragesprogram,plantarowforbeansbecameplantarowforthehungry.theoriginalideawastohaveeverymemberofthegardenwritersassociationofamericawriteortalkaboutplantingarowforthehungrysometimeduringthemonthofapril.

asmoreandmorepeoplestartedworkingwiththeplantarowconcept,newvariationscroppedup,ifyouwillpardonthepun.manycompaniesgavefreeseedtocustomersanddisplayedthelogo,whichalsoappearedinnationalgardeningpublications.

rowmarkerswiththeplantarowlogoweredistributedtogardenerstosetaparttheir"rowforthehungry."

gardeneditorjoanjackson,backedbythesanjosemercurynewsandcaliforniasnearlyyear-roundgrowingseason,raisedmorethan30,000poundsoffruitsandvegetablesherfirstyear,andshowedgwaahowtheprogramcouldreallywork.

texasfruitfarmsdonatedfoodtotheirlocalfoodbankafterbeinginspiredbyplantarow.todaytheprogramcontinuestothriveandgrow.

iamstunnedthatmillionsofamericansarethreatenedbyhunger.ifeverygardenerinamerica-andwereseventymillionstrong-plantsonerowforthehungry,wecanmakequiteadentinthenumberofneighborswhodonthaveenoughtoeat.maybetheniwillstopfeelingguiltyaboutabandoningahungrymanicouldhavehelped.