Unsold Farmers Market produce will now go to these community organizations
Unsold food at the Bellingham Farmers Market will now go to families in need thanks to a $35,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
The one-time grant allows the farmers market to purchase unsold produce at wholesale price to support local growers and people in need, according to a July 22 news release. To purchase the produce, the market will bill the Bellingham Food Bank, the recipient of the grant.
“We are always happy to support our local community, and the extra funding from this new program will help us make it through a tough market season,” said Lora Liegel, director of the Bellingham Farmers Market, in the release.
The funding will support local farmers and markets at a time when the COVID-19 crisis has created uncertainty for the regional food system, said Max Morange, emerging projects coordinator at the Bellingham Food Bank, in the release.
“We hope that this funding will lend confidence to growers whose livelihoods depend on direct-to-consumer sales and who may be wary of bringing perishable product to a market if they don’t know it will sell,” said Morange.
Once purchased, staff and volunteers from Sustainable Connections, a local non-profit, plan to transport the produce to several community organizations, the news release read.
“In turn, thanks to Sustainable Connections, food-insecure households get access to amazing produce delivered directly from the market.”
The food will go to Northwest Youth Service’s 22 North, Catholic Community Service’s Francis Place, HomesNOW! Unity Village, Lighthouse Mission Ministries, Birchwood Food Desert Fighters, Lummi Nation and Sea Mar Community Health Center’s Food Farmacia.
The Bellingham Farmers Market at 1100 Railroad Ave. is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
.jpeg)