Photos By Hannah Sharpe
BY MELISSA TINLING
On Saturday, June 7, the Greensboro Farmer’s Curb Market launched a Farmer Foodshare Donation Station to connect local farms with agencies that serve people at risk of hunger or malnutrition.
Farmer Foodshare programs connect people who grow food with people who need food. A Donation Station works like a canned food drive, but with fresh, healthy food from local producers. Community members can buy extra items at the local farmers market to donate directly to organizations combatting food insecurity through the Donation Station. This supports local farms while ensuring that more community members in need have access to fresh and healthy food.
The Greensboro Farmers Curb Market Donation Station currently benefits Mary’s House and agencies affiliated with Share the Harvest. In the first two weeks the Donation Station facilitated a donation of over 250 pounds of local products.
“The Farmer Foodshare Donation Station is off to a great start”, noted Greensboro Farmers Curb Market Executive Director, Lee Mortensen. “On our first donation day, 135 pounds of fresh food was donated by market patrons and children from Mary’s House shopped the market with cash donations. It is incredibly gratifying to see the immediate impact that this project has in our community.”
The North Carolina African Services Coalition is one of the agencies affiliated with Share the Harvest that received donations last week. “They were so excited to see the large box of cousa squash from Farlow Farms,” recounted Linda Anderson, a volunteer with Share the Harvest, “they recognized the variety and were excited to cook it!”
Through Farmer Foodshare, Greensboro volunteers, farmers, and market shoppers can work together to create a community where everyone has access to healthy nutritious food and where farmers are supported in growing it – a system where everybody wins. “I volunteered with Farmer Foodshare in college and saw just how easy it could be to get high-quality produce out of the market stalls to families in need – all you need is a few volunteers!” Explained Melissa Tinling, a FoodCorps Service Member based in Guilford County. “I am glad that this program has finally arrived in Greensboro, one of the most food insecure cities in the nation, and I look forward to volunteering.”
Please come out to market to buy fresh, healthy, local food for yourself and share some extra with neighbors in need. Volunteer opportunities at the Donation Station are family friendly and fun for all ages! We need your support for local farmers to provide farm fresh food to community members in need. Contact Melissa Tinling (mtinling@gmail.com) to volunteer.
About Greensboro Farmers Curb Market
Local produce, meats, prepared foods, flowers and crafts are available on Saturdays year round from 7 a.m. to noon and Wednesdays May - December 8 a.m. to 1:30 pm. GFM, Inc.’s Mission is to provide greater Greensboro with opportunities to purchase and learn about local food and crafts while interacting with producers and each other in a friendly and diverse social setting. In doing so, GFM, Inc. will encourage and support growth of local foods and artisan goods businesses to improve greater Greensboro’s economy, support better health through healthy eating and build social and community connections.
About Farmer Foodshare
Farmer Foodshare is a 501© 3 nonprofit connecting people who grow food with people who need food. Go to www.farmerfoodshare.org, or email info@farmerfoodshare.org for information or to volunteer.
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