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The Food Bank for Westchester
purchases fresh foods from local farmers and
brokers. Each week volunteers pack up 1,000 bags
of produce consisting of three different vegetables
and two different fruits, with enough products
to support a family of four for two to three
days. These bags are then distributed to member
food pantries and sometimes soup kitchens “just
in time “for distribution to hungry people
in the community. Each bag also contains a recipe/food-handling
flyer, in English and Spanish.
At this time the
Food Bank spends approximately $250,000 annually
on Project Green Thumb with funds provided by
the New York State Department of Health, Hunger
Prevention Nutrition Assistance Program. Year
to year these funds may increase or decrease
affecting the number of bags distributed weekly.
Last
fiscal year Food Bank distributed over one
million pounds of fresh foods, of which 773,000
pounds were through Project Green Thumb.
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