A new innovative program is being launched by the Ontario Association of Food Banks — aimed at increasing dramatically the amount of fresh, healthy, local food available to people who use food banks.
Executive Director Adam Spence says their goal is to collect and distribute 500 thousand pounds of fresh food this year, and boost that to over 2 million pounds in 2012.
“Community Harvest Ontario” builds partnerships with farmers and corporate partners to grow, glean, and donate local fruits and vegetables.
Figures show 72.4 per cent of Ontarians turning to food banks do not have access to the required servings of fruits and vegetables
Adam Spence says they are negotiating with several farmers in the province including a couple of apple growers in the Meaford area.
There also agreements in place with 15 farmers in the province including vegetable producers in the Leamington area and a fresh fruit farm in the Markham area.
It is estimated that province-wide approximately 25 million pounds of fruits and vegetables are disposed of or tilled back into the soil each year.
Community Harvest Ontario hopes to capture a lot of those foods that are now going to waste, by having it donated to the Food bank system.
Farmers and volunteers who are interested in participating in Community Harvest Ontario are encouraged to contact the Food Bank association directly or visit their website at www.communityharvest.ca
