Harvesting Hope: Sharing Fresh Produce with Local Families in Need

Summer and fall are a time of beautiful agricultural growth in the Willamette Valley, with local farmers working diligently to harvest an array of fruit and vegetables. And thanks to your support, thousands of pounds of this fresh produce are distributed to individuals, families and seniors in need here in our community. 

When a local farm has an excess of produce, they don’t need to worry about their hard work going to waste. They are proud to donate it to Marion Polk Food Share. “It’s really great, the support that these organizations have for us,” says Jennifer, Food Procurement and Community Programs Coordinator. 

These donations help reduce food waste in our community and make sure that individuals and families in need have access to fresh produce.

Last year, Marion Polk Food Share received 332,798 lbs. of fresh produce donated from 21 local farmers, the equivalent of 277,332 meals. This produce includes cherries, summer squash, onions, mushrooms, corn, broccoli, green beans, kale, cauliflower, lettuce and more. 

Your support enables the Food Share to process, repack and distribute this fresh produce quickly to individuals in need. With the rising cost of living, ensuring that fresh produce is available at the Food Share’s partner food pantries and meals sites is essential.  

For many individuals and families, this may be their only access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Marion Polk Food Share would like to thank American Ballet Academy, American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Brenden Family Foundation, Capitol Auto Group, City of Salem – General Funds, DC Structural Specialists, Inc., Dutch Bros – Salem Headquarters, Dutch Bros – SE Commercial, Emergency Food and Shelter Program Local Board, Gene S McMurrin, Inc., Goodwill Industries of the Columbia-Willamette Valley, Grove, Mueller & Swank, P.C., Highway Trailer Sales and Service, IDM Apartments, LLC, Jeremy Dumanovsky Roofing, OCF Joseph E Weston Public Foundation, Kaiser Permanente and community members like you.

Your support is ensuring that local families have fresh produce for their tables this summer and fall.