This week, the donations to those in need continued. In Arizona, the Hopi, Navajo, and White Mountain Apache Nations were brought three truckloads of fresh produce, and in California Bolthouse farms is working to supply both monetary and produce donations.
Donations to tribal nations in Arizona
Early on Wednesday morning, members of Arizona’s National Guard arrived at Santa Cruz Cold Storage in Rio Rico, Arizona to pick up three truckloads of fresh produce destined for the Hopi, Navajo, and White Mountain Apache Nations in Northeast Arizona. They are among the hardest hit communities facing the coronavirus outbreak. The produce shipments are part of ongoing efforts in Santa Cruz and Pima Counties to help people needing a little extra help stretching food budgets during the challenges created by COVID-19.
AZ National Guard arriving to pick up trucks.
“It’s a good feeling to see the trucks heading out,” said Scott Vandervoet, Chairman of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas (FPAA). “I hope this helps ease the burden for people trying to make sure they can feed their families. It’s our responsibility as friends, neighbors, and fellow Arizonans to try and help each other in challenging times. From the first moment we received the request from Santa Cruz County until now, I’m so proud of how this community has come together.”
AZ National Guard arriving at Navajo nation Wednesday evening.
“Santa Cruz County, in cooperation with Pima County, and our great and generous partners in the produce industry have provided tons of fresh produce that have helped feed thousands of families in Southern Arizona. But we also recognized the need in the tribal nations in northern Arizona. The shipment of three commercial truckloads of fresh produce will help meet the essential nutritional needs for more than 6,000 families in the Hopi, Navajo and White Mountain Apache Nations. I know that this is only a temporary relief, but we hope we can do more in the future,” stated Chairman Bruce Bracker of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.
Bolthouse Farms partners with Feeding America
At the start of the pandemic, Bolthouse Farms moved quickly to purchase food and other essentials for its employees and their families to ensure they had healthy, nutritious food and help remove the stress of grocery shopping after work hours. The company also gave employees its own carrots, dressings and beverages.
Credit: Bolthouse Farms.
Now, Bolthouse Farms is extending its efforts to those in the Bolthouse Farms communities and around the country, asking employees to join their efforts in the following ways:
- Feeding America Employee Matching Donation Program – Partnering with Feeding America to launch a matching monetary donation program. For each dollar any Bolthouse Farms employee donates, the company will match dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000. Additionally, CEO Jeff Dunn will personally match each dollar-for-dollar up to another $20,000 thereby tripling each employee's donation.
- Local Food Bank Carrot Donations – Donating a full truckload of carrots – the equivalent of 25,000 meals – to each of the food banks in the communities surrounding its facilities: Community Action Partnership of Kern for Bakersfield, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank for Santa Monica and the Greater Chicago Food Depository for Hodgkins and a soon to be determined food bank in the Prosser, Wash. area.
- Pop-up Grocery Stores at Dignity Health Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, Calif. – Donating carrots, salad dressings and an assortment of beverages twice a week, to provide a place for healthcare workers from the two locations to shop for groceries after their long shifts.
- Helping Feed Families in the San Joaquin Valley – Making two donations of seven 50-pound boxes of carrots per week, to the Cuyama Valley Family Resource Center (CVFRC).
The Feeding America employee donation match program began April 22. Food donations will start to be made to food banks the week of April 27.
For more information:
Lance Jungmeyer
Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
Email: lance@freshfrommexico.com
www.freshfrommexico.com
Bolthouse Farms
Tel: +1 (800) 467-4683
www.bolthouse.com