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Extra produce to feed the needy
By:
Tom Caprood, The Record
08/02/2008
TROY
- Capital District Community Gardens is once again asking local
gardeners, farmers and community members to donate their surplus
fresh produce to area locations participating in the Squash Hunger
project.
The project, which is now in its fifth year, disperses collected
produce to a number of local food pantries, soup kitchens, and
shelters several times a week in order to ensure that local people
in need are able to receive healthy food which they may not normally
have access to.
"This is a way to get nutritious food to the people who really need
it the most," said Amy Klein, executive director of CDCG. "It also
provides an opportunity for local people growing food, farmers with
surplus, or people who just appreciate healthy food, to conveniently
donate at any of our participating locations."
The Squash Hunger project encourages area farmers and gardeners to
"grow an extra row" for others and to harvest any extra produce for
hungry members of local communities. One of the common problems with
this idea is that it leaves it up to the gardeners and farmers to
find a location to donate their surplus food.
According to Klein, one of the most convenient aspects of the
program is that it offers extended hours of operation that you might
not see at local shelters or food pantries, which are often only
open during mid-day through the work week, depending on the
availability of their volunteer workers.
All of the participating Squash Hunger locations are open in the
evenings, as well as on the weekends, so that everyone interested in
donating to the program will have the time to do so.
"You can just show up and drop your produce off," said Klein. "You
don't have to talk to anyone or do anything, which makes it quite an
easy way to participate and help out the local community."
Also, since several of the Squash Hunger drop off locations include
local food co-ops and farmers markets, Klein noted that people could
also consider buying a few things extra and dropping them into the
donation bin.
As far as determining what would qualify as "fresh" produce to
donate to the program, Klein urged community members to base their
judgments on what they would consider eatable in their own homes.
"We ask that people do not donate any bad, old, or rotting food
because that is not what we want to pass on to people who are in
need of fresh produce and healthy meals," said Klein, who noted that
the program was happy to accept donations of all sizes. "Put a
cucumber in if you want - every little bit helps."
Since 2004, the program the Squash Hunger project has collected and
distributed more than 12,000 pounds of fresh produce, which a
phenomenal reaction from local communities, according to Klein.
"The people we are serving come in droves when deliver fresh produce
and it often goes out the door faster than we can bring it in," said
Klein. "We definitely know that the food is getting to the right
people and that it's getting utilized."
According to information from the Hunger Action Network of New York
State, 10.5 percent of New York households experienced food
insecurity or were at risk of hunger in 2003, while 3.2 percent
experienced hunger, would frequently skip meals, or go without food
for entire days.
At that time, more than two million state residents relied on
emergency food programs such as soup kitchens and food pantries each
year, with those figures increasing as time went on.
Populations who were found to be hungry and struggling for food
included women, the working poor, and the elderly, and represented
people who were African American, white, Hispanic, and American
Indian, among others.
Area locations where fresh produce can be donated:
~
Capital District Community Gardens 40 River St., Troy -274-8685
~ Delmar Market Place 406 Kenwood Ave., Delmar 439-3936
~ Greulichs Market 3403 Carmen Rd., Schenectady 355-1530
~ Hannaford Supermarket Route 43 and Route 150, West Sand
Lake-674-2846
~ Hannaford Supermarket 5 Maple Rd., Voorheesville, NY 765-2629
~ Honest Weight Food Co-Op 484 Central Ave., Albany 482-2667
~ Roma Importing Co. 9 Cobbee Rd., Latham 785-7480
~ Troy Marina Farmer's Market River Street, Troy
Tom Caprood can be reached at 270-1278 or by e-mail at tcaprood@troyrecord.com.
ŠThe Record 2008
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