Wedge Co-op Helps the Emergency Foodshelf Network Harvest Thousands of Pounds of Local Organic Produce for the Hungry

By Patrick Kerrigan, Emergency Foodshelf Network Transportation and Harvest for the Hungry Coordinator

In 2009, the Emergency Foodshelf Network's (EFN) Harvest for the Hungry program distributed more than 50,000 pounds of fresh, local and organic produce to local hunger relief programs for free. We wouldn't have been able to do this without generous support from the Wedge Co-op. Co-op members showed their support in a big way, selecting Harvest for the Hungry to receive WedgeShare grants two years in a row. Creative and generous support in the form of time, talent and resources also came from Gardens of Eagan, Co-op Partners Warehouse and the Wedge Co-op's staff and management. This support was so important during 2009 as EFN's members provided food to more than two million Minnesotans.

Founded in 1976, the Emergency Foodshelf Network provides essential food and support services to 238 hunger relief programs statewide. EFN created Harvest for the Hungry (HFTH) three years ago to address local foodshelves' need for fresh produce. HFTH matches donations from members of community supported agriculture (CSA) farms, rescues excess food from being discarded and purchases (at reduced cost) food that can't be sold due to cosmetic or size irregularities.

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthful diet, but the reality is they are often not affordable or accessible for low-income families. A recent study found that a low-income U.S. family would have to devote 43 percent to 70 percent of its food budget to fruits and vegetables in order to meet federal nutritional guidelines. Fresh produce is often too expensive to purchase at small neighborhood corner stores or not available at all to people who lack reliable transportation. In fact, more than half of the neighborhoods in Minneapolis and one-third in Saint Paul can be classified as "food deserts"—areas where convenience stores are predominant and stores that offer high quality and affordable produce are not readily available.

For families experiencing hunger it is imperative that foodshelves provide nutritious food. Unfortunately, fresh produce is challenging for foodshelves to provide for the same reasons individuals have trouble purchasing it—low availability, low quality and high price. Harvest for the Hungry provides a local solution to this problem and foodshelf coordinators tell us that their clients love getting the fresh produce.

The Wedge has been instrumental in enabling EFN to expand Harvest for the Hungry. Gardens of Eagan worked with Wedge leadership to offer EFN a greatly discounted price on 14,000 pounds of beautiful produce that did not meet standard retail size and shape guidelines. EFN purchased pallets filled with gorgeous lettuces too big to fit into standard delivery boxes and crisp cucumbers that also did not meet retail shape standards. Gardens of Eagan Farm Manager Linda Halley said the farmers who planted and cared for the produce and the Wedge volunteers who harvested and packed donations were delighted that the produce would be distributed to hungry Minnesotans rather than being plowed under or composted.

One of the biggest challenges for growers, with regards to the Harvest for the Hungry program, is the cost of harvesting, packing and delivering the surplus produce. Wedge management created a system in which Wedge store employees picked and packed the produce themselves, enabling EFN to stretch our purchasing dollars.

Transporting fresh produce is often challenging and costly. Thanks to Co-op Partners Warehouse (CPW), this critical link became incredibly easy and efficient. CPW received and stored EFN's produce from Gardens of Eagan. CPW also made it easier for other Harvest for the Hungry farms to participate by providing cross dock services so farms from Western Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota could deliver their donations to a central location instead of coming to EFN's New Hope warehouse.

There are a variety of additional ways to support Harvest for the Hungry. Please check our website for opportunities at www.emergencyfoodshelf.org.

On behalf of EFN, our member agencies and the thousands of households experiencing hunger who have enjoyed the wonderful produce you helped provide, thank you, Wedge members.

Patrick Kerrigan was twice a Wedge produce staffer in the mid 1980's and later 1990's.