Newswatch 16's Chelsea Strub spends a day with the group to learn what it takes to pick up and send out weekly food deliveries.
LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — A typical Monday at the Food Dignity Movement begins with a bulk delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables to one of the nonprofit's community partners, New Roots Recovery Support Center in Wilkes-Barre .
“Almost every week we're here, getting produce in and shipping it out,” said Amanda Gordinier, director of food equity. “We are a nonprofit organization that works locally to connect local small farmers with small nonprofit organizations and people in need in their communities.”
This shipment was primarily made by local farms.
“Supporting local farmers is very important to us. We make sure they are located where they are so they can grow the food we all need to live healthy lives. I really want to make sure I stay,” Gordinier said. “(Plus) things that are out of season and things that we don't get in Pennsylvania, like oranges and bananas, to give us a little bit more variety, especially to make it a little bit easier to chew.”
Once the trucks from local farms are unloaded into the kitchen, we start taking the list and dividing it into regional resource centers. We hope it will be available to those already in need and that this produce will be delivered to those in need.
“If we can get food to where people are going, it lowers transportation barriers and becomes a one-stop shop for getting services and healthy fruits and vegetables.”
Some nonprofits send people to pick up produce, while others receive deliveries from Food Dignity vans and keep them refrigerated until delivery time.
Surplus food will be sent to Food Dignity paid farm stands in the area.