Food Donations and Field Gleaning Enable Agencies to Feed Hundreds of Families
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov 19, 2013—RALEIGH, NC
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle will hold its 7th annual "Turkey Takeout" event Thursday, Nov.21st to distribute turkeys, fresh produce, bread, and pies to partner agencies and pantries for families in need this Thanksgiving. Food is donated by U.S. Foods, Ford's Produce, FarmPak, and other food donors, as well as gleaned from farmers' fields by Inter-Faith Food Shuttle volunteers.
Who: Specific agencies have been invited to participate, and 250 families have been pre-selected by the agencies to receive the food. Major food donations are from U.S. Foods, Ford's Produce, and FarmPak.
What: "Turkey Takeout" distributes food for more than 250 family-sized Thanksgiving meals to pre-selected recipient agencies, who then distribute to families in need. In 2012, Ford's Produce and U.S. Foods provided 2,350 pounds of vegetables (cabbage & green beans); Inter-Faith Food Shuttle's field gleaning provided 8,600 pounds of sweet potatoes and collards to pair with 250 turkeys, rice, bread, and pies provided by Inter-Faith Food Shuttle's other food donors.
*NOTE: These 250 Thanksgiving dinners only scratch the surface of what's needed in our community. If you are a person in need of food, please visit our website for a list of public IFFS Mobile Markets where you can find healthy, fresh food for free. Also at this link is a list of partner agencies who may not have turkeys, but will have food.
If you want to help families have holiday dinners, donate your frozen turkey, ham, or other food items to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, 1001 Blair Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603; Monday- Friday 8a-3:30p, except for Thanksgiving day and the day after. Additionally, you can volunteer to glean farmers' fields for fresh produce, or donate money. Sign up to volunteer and/or donate online at www.FoodShuttle.org.
Where: Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, 1001 Blair Drive in Raleigh
When: Thursday, November 21, 2012 between 11AM - 1PM
Why: One in 4 children may not know where their next meal is coming from here in the Triangle. Without this distribution of food, hundreds of people in the community would go without a holiday meal. Even as people are going hungry, about 130 lbs. of food per person ends up in landfills (USDA). As a grassroots response to food waste at the local retail and wholesale level, our Food Recovery Progam collects healthy, perishable food from over 300 donors and quickly distributes it to agencies and through our 40-plus Mobile Markets in the greater Triangle area . Additionally, our Field Gleaning Program connects farmers who have excess crops with people who need fresh produce. We bring a farmer-trained volunteer crew, gather the produce, and distribute it through our Mobile Markets and Grocery Bags for Seniors.
ABOUT INTER-FAITH FOOD SHUTTLE
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is a hunger relief organization that feeds people, teaches skills for self sufficiency, and grows access to local food for communities in need. Hunger IS fixable if communities work together to do 2 things: create sources of healthy food in every low-income neighborhood and teach skills for self sufficiency. By learning job skills, good nutrition on a budget, and even how to grow their own food, people can begin to move themselves out of hunger. Whether it's by keeping good food out of the landfill, distributing BackPack Buddies, teaching nutrition, setting up neighborhood mobile markets , training culinary skills, or demonstrating how to grow food, IFFS goes directly to people in need to create what works to empower them. "We feed. We teach. We grow." To create a hunger-free and healthy community.
ABOUT FORD'S PRODUCE
Ford's Produce was founded in North Carolina and is proud to be part of her history. They believe it is important to support the local community. Ford's Produce has on hand the widest selection of fresh fruits and vegetables of any company in the Carolinas. Because their buyers purchase products from around the world every day, depending upon the growing season of any particular item, they are able to assure customers availability, freshness, and increased savings.
ABOUT U.S. FOODS
Each year, U.S. Foods makes a positive difference in communities around America through donations and employee volunteerism. Their philanthropic activities are an extension of their culture and part of the company's heritage. The U.S. Foods We Feed AmericaTM program raises funds for Feeding America, the nation's leading hunger relief charity. U.S. Foods has donated more than 22 million pounds of food to Feeding America since 2007 to become an official Feeding America Mission Partner. U.S. Foods also proudly supports and encourages their employees' local volunteer efforts to strengthen communities and improve lives. Employees across the country dedicate their time, energy, and talent to making a difference through fundraising, volunteering, and donating food to local food banks.
ABOUT FARMPAK
FarmPak began in 1969 to provide sales for Barnes Farming Corporation sweet potatoes. They began selling directly to buyers along the East Coast and since their humble beginnings with 3/8th of an acre, FarmPak has now grown into one of the largest and most reliable marketers of sweet potatoes, including a strong presence in the international marketplace. In addition, FarmPak is active in the local community and finds it an honor to provide one of nature's healthiest foods to the dinner table at Thanksgiving and all year around.
Contact: Cindy Sink,919-390-1970 Cindy@FoodShuttle.org