Fresh summer produce is not only tasty and a dietary necessity, but also evokes great memories of family gatherings. Perhaps your family can’t have a picnic with out a ripe, juicy watermelon or backyard barbeques must have the requisite corn on the cob.
At Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JF&CS) Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry (HKJFP), administrators understand that those who are going through tough times need and deserve a large share of fresh produce in their meals too. The Pantry is one of the largest suppliers of fresh produce among the various organizations distributing food in the metropolitan region. Cory Eichorn, food pantry manager, has announced a new distribution plan with wholesale provider, Produce Row as well as Schnucks and Dierbergs Markets.
“A steady stream of produce from our partnering companies is a great basis for keeping our clients’ bags filled with fresh products. We get about 95 percent of our produce from these sources and couldn’t be more delighted,” said Eichorn. “However we also can’t forget our individual donors. These loyal friends of the pantry remember to bring fresh foods to us along with canned and packaged goods.”
An important component to the fresh produce donation program is Share Your Harvest originally initiated by one of our loyal donors, Laura Silver.
Through Share Your Harvest, the community is encouraged to bring all the overages in produce and herbs that they cannot possibly eat from their own gardens. Parents and their children often make a big project out of the gardens they plant. However, an added bonus to this wholesome family friendly activity is a donation component. Silver understood the importance of teaching children early on to consider those within the community who may not have enough to eat. Thus, Share Your Harvest came to be.
Now, three years later, HKJFP would like to remind the community to help it continue to grow the program. The Pantry welcomes all donations of fresh produce, from home gardens or from buying a little more produce on each trip to the grocery store.
Donation hours are Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteers are on hand to help with donors’ deliveries. For questions on how to help call Cory Eichorn, or if you would like to volunteer at the HKJFP, call Kelly Mueller at 314-993-1000