One of the many upshots of last week’s Viva Fresh in Grapevine, TX, was the forging of a partnership between the Texas International Produce Association and Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley.
Announced during the Viva Fresh Expo keynote luncheon, Food Bank RGV’s Viva Fresh Produce Pledge is that “A Gift from Farms to Families” is a “year-round collection effort of fresh produce donations to help food insecure communities in Texas.”
TIPA said that participating companies “can ‘pledge’ in 2021 to provide fruits and vegetables in 2022. Whether it be a single load, multiple loads or on a rotating basis throughout the year, TIPA and Food Bank RGV will in turn provide this produce to food insecure families in the region.”
“In the past year, our region has been hard hit by not only the pandemic, but also hurricanes in July, droughts in November and December, and a historic freeze in February,” said Dante Galeazzi, TIPA president/CEO. “Businesses have absolutely suffered, but many families are suffering more. This is about Texans helping Texans and families helping families.
This effort’s objective is to continue feeding vulnerable households while at the same time helping Texas communities by giving them broader access to healthy foods. Food banks nationwide experiencing food shortages from time to time, and some diseases such as obesity and heart conditions can result from poor nutrition. The situation has been worsened by COVID-19.
Interested potential partners are encouraged to contact TIPA or Food Bank RGV for more information or to join the effort.
