Salinas, CA – The mission to create a connection between the agricultural community and food assistance programs just got a little easier for the local nonprofit Ag Against Hunger. Due to a generous $50,000 grant from Walmart, along with discounts from ThermoKing, Utility Trailer, and Central Coast Sign Factory, Ag Against Hunger was able to purchase a beautiful brand new 53’ refrigerated trailer. The new trailer will replace an older model that will now be used as additional cold storage during the season when their cooler is at capacity. In 2011, the organization distributed 13.9 million lbs. of fresh nutritious produce to food banks in need, feeding over 3 million people. Executive Director Karen DeWitt says that she hopes the new trailer will help increase that amount by an additional 250,000 lbs. equaling 1.25 million servings.
The new trailer will also serve the organization as a mobile billboard throughout the tri-county area of Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties, where Ag Against Hunger picks up all of their donated produce from growers, processors and shippers. Their newest campaign of “Harvest For The Hungry,” will let all residents know how generous the local agricultural community is and what they are doing to prevent waste and feed hungry families.
Ag Against Hunger’s recipients aren’t only the homeless, but also the working poor and middle class with day-to-day expenses that mean having to choose between paying rent or buying food. The populations ravaged by poverty and those who have to count on food banks most also have the fewest resources and tend to be populations hardest hit by chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. The addition of fresh fruits and vegetables can help combat these diseases and end the pain of hunger.
Ag Against Hunger takes care of their local community first by insuring the tri-county area food banks have all of the fresh produce they need to give to local hungry families. They then give to food banks across the state of California and finally across the West Coast. Since its founding 22 years ago, Ag Against Hunger has distributed nearly 200 million pounds of produce — that’s almost one billion servings of fruits and vegetables to people in need! To learn more, visit www.agagainsthunger.org and become a fan on Facebook.
Source: Ag Against Hunger