ACCESS TO FRESH PRODUCE FOR EFPS

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Below are resources to help you get more fresh produce into your food pantry or soup kitchen, and out to your clients.  For resources on nutrition education and cooking classes for your food pantry or soup kitchen, click HERE.

 

  1. Purchase vegetables directly from a local farmer.  Would you like to use some of your funding to purchase fresh vegetables directly from a local farm?  Visit Just Food's Direct Purchasng page to learn more about Fresh Food for All's Direct Purchasing program.
For additional information, contact Just Food’s Fresh Food for Program Coordinator, Rachelle Faroul at rachelle@justfood.org or by phone at 212-645-9880 ext. 227.
 
  1. Request a Local Produce Link drop-off site in your neighborhood.  Local Produce Link is a program to bring fresh vegetables from regional farms to food pantries in NYC. The program is a partnership between United Way of NYC and Just Food. United Way pays farmers directly for the vegetables with funding from the New York State Department of Health, and food pantries receive the produce free of cost.

If you operate an emergency food program and would like to learn more about joining Local Produce Link, contact Stacey McCarthy at United Way of NYC at smccarthy@uwnyc.org or by phone at 212-251-4060.

             To learn more about Local Produce Link, click here. 

  1. Sign up for CSA shares.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. CSA is way for families and individuals to purchase vegetables directly from a local farm. Typically, the farmer is paid up front for the produce at the beginning of the growing season. Then, throughout season, the farm will deliver your “share” of the harvest each week. Some CSA programs operate in low-income communities and have flexible payment options available for members including sliding scale pricing, payments spread out over time and the use of food stamps.
To learn more about CSAs, to find the CSA closest to you, or for information about signing up for a CSA, visit Just Food's CSA page.


  1. Request donations of fresh vegetables.  You can contact one of the following groups to ask for donations of fresh vegetables:
 
*      Greenmarkets:  Use the Council on the Environment of NYC's website to search for the Greenmarkets in your neighborhood. Once you find a farmers market in your area, ask the market if they can donate fresh vegetables to you at the end of the market. Visit: www.cenyc.org/map
 
*      City Farms Community Garden Farmers Markets:  Go to Just Food's City Farms page to find a Just Food City Farms Market in your area and contact the market to learn whether they can donate fresh vegetables to you at the end of the market. Visit: justfood.org/city-farms/city-farms-markets/market-schedules
For more information about Just Food’s City Farms Community Garden Farmers Markets, contact Jane Hodge at jane@justfood.org or by phone at 212-645-9880 ext 228.
 
*      Look for a CSA in your area:  Check the Find A CSA section of Just Food's website to find CSA locations, days and contact information. Contact the CSA closest to you to see if they have donations available. Visit: justfood.org/csaloc/search
 
*      City Harvest:  City Harvest can provide deliveries of fresh produce as well as bread and other food items. Visit: www.cityharvest.org/
Contact City Harvest at 917-351-8700 to find out if you are eligible to receive donations. 
 
*      AmpleHarvest:  AmpleHrvest.org is a website to connect gardeners with an overabundance of vegetables with their local food pantries. Visit: www.ampleharvest.org
Register your pantry HERE, so that local gardeners and their extra produce can find your agency!