75,000 Farmers to Families Food Boxes for RI

Knowing that food disparities play a part in wellness and health, access to fresh food and vegetables at a time of economic hardship can add to the burden families face – adding in the Covid19 time and massive unemployment numbers, and this issue becomes even more important to address.

As part of the Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program, Secretary Perdue announced on April 17^th that the USDA was exercising its authority under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to purchase and distribute up to $3 billion of agricultural products to those in need. USDA is partnering with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase fresh produce, dairy, and meat.

The USDA food commodity boxes goes to non-profit organizations, on a recurring schedule. The groups receive, store and distribute food items.  The program will procure an estimated $100 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables, $100 million per month in a variety of dairy products, and $100 million per month in meat products, nationwide. The distributors and wholesalers provide a pre-approved box of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.

In the Northeast Region, 29 vendors were approved for purchase of food items for the Families Food Box program; two of them in Rhode Island – Farm Fresh in Pawtucket, a Combination Box of items for $222,750, and Original Crispy Pizza Crust Co. of Boston, in Lincoln, for a precooked pork and chicken box, for $488,700.

According to Farm Fresh RI, “in an effort to assist Rhode Island’s families, farmers, and food businesses, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline helped include federal funds for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program providing $3 billion to purchase and distribute agricultural products to those in need nationwide.”  

Farm Fresh Rhode Island was approved by USDA for the Farmers to Families Food Box program, and will work with local farms to create over 75,000 “Farmers to Families Food Boxes” containing fresh, local vegetables, fruit, milk, yogurt, and cheeses in 2020. Contents will reflect what’s available seasonally to create a delicious, nutritious, and well-rounded offering that supports the hard work of our local family farms.

“We are pleased Farm Fresh RI has been approved by the USDA for the ‘Farmers to Families Food Box’ program. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Rhode Island’s families, farmers, and food businesses hard, and we need to help them recover. This program is a win-win that will connect local growers with a buyer so they can sell their produce and goods at a fair price while helping to get fresh, nutritious foods to Rhode Island residents in need,” said Reed, Whitehouse, Langevin, and Ciciiline in a joint statement.

“The Farm Fresh RI ‘Farmers to Families Food Box’ will assist hundreds of local and regional farmers while helping thousands of food insecure Rhode Island residents,” said Governor Gina M. Raimondo. “This effort will maintain the strength of Rhode Island’s food and farm economy especially in these challenging times while providing for residents in need.”

Up to 3,750 food boxes per week of fresh and nutritious fruits, vegetables, and dairy products will be provided to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank to help feed Rhode Islanders in need throughout the calendar year. The Food Bank will distribute them to 40 member agencies across the state.

The University of Rhode Island SNAP Education program is providing bilingual cooking and nutritional inserts for each box.

“Right now in our state there are thousands of families facing hunger,” said Andrew Schiff, CEO of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “The Food Bank is thrilled to collaborate with Farm Fresh Rhode Island on this new program that will provide fresh, healthy food to those in dire need.”

“For well over a decade, we have been connecting the local farmers and eaters of Rhode Island,” said Sheri Griffin, Co-Executive Director of Farm Fresh RI. “Now as the number of people in our community living with food insecurity grows by the day, we are proud to bring this support to not only the eaters of our state, but to the local farmers harvesting and preparing the food that will fill the ‘Farmers to Families’ food boxes.”

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article noted that food boxes could be picked up at Farm Fresh – they CANNOT – Please contact ONLY the RI Food Bank for information on food boxes. Food boxes will be available for pick up for some families – for more information contact the RI Food Bank at 401-942-6325.” Thank you.