The Fresh Produce grant brings the freshest and highest quality produce to the people who need it most. This program connects the fresh produce of local farms with Capital Area Food Bank member agencies including: food pantries, clinics, after-school programs, soup kitchens and shelters. The Fresh Produce Grant is offered annually to exceptional agencies with the organizational structure and facility to efficiently distribute a wide variety of high quality produce to the individuals they serve. See the 2012 fresh produce recipients below.
This program has a springboard effect. Because this produce tastes so good, many clients notice the difference. After receiving the grant some organizations create their own initiatives to get more fresh produce from local farms. See this quote from one of our past Fresh Produce Grant recipients:
—Erin Littlestar, Procurement Director at DC Central Kitchen in the Fresh Produce Grant 2009
Other Benefits of the Fresh Produce Grant
- Over 40 different kinds of seasonal fruits and vegetables
- Bi-weekly pick-ups
- Each organization receives approximately $8,500 of produce per season
- Educational opportunities: sustainable agriculture, food preparation, recipe and nutrition information
- All the produce distributed is grown using sustainable growing practices and is either certified organic or chemical-free