Fresh, Local Produce in our Food Pantry--Even in Winter!

Thanks to The Healthful Food For All Fund, Mondays are looking good in the Hub Food Pantry. Our produce table is piled high with the freshest most beautiful food available anywhere! This week featured Cauliflower (in three colors!) oak leaf lettuce, diakon radishes, winter carrots (the sweetest kind!) turnips, kale, cress, scallions, spinach, apples and more.

The Healthful Food For All Fund (HFFAF) is a program that pays farmers half price for remaining produce that they wish to sell at the end of the winter farmers' market each Saturday, then donates that food to Mother Hubbard's Cupboard and other area non-profits. It is a win-win situation, if there ever was one; farmers don't take as big of a hit for food they didn't sell at market, and Bloomington families experiencing food insecurity get high quality produce during the winter months when fresh food is scarce.

HFFAF is run by a committee of the Bloomington Winter Farmers' Market, and is affiliated with The Center for Sustainable Living. This year, with a generous $10, 000 matching grant challenge from a private family foundation, the program has more funding available than ever before. More farmers are participating as well, and they also obtain fresh greens from Growing opportunities, a hydroponic greenhouse program run by The South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP).

To learn more about the program, or to make a donation, stop by the info table at the Winter Farmers' Market, or contact healthfulfoodfund at gmail dot com.