A-Buck-For-A-Truck Fundraiser
Due to extreme overabundances, millions of pounds of quality, fresh fruits and vegetables, grown in Mexico and shipped to the U.S., are thrown into our landfills each year. (Understand just how much produce is being dumped by viewing on the video.) Through our Lost Harvest program, EFN is rescuing this top quality produce before it’s thrown away and distributing it to our network of hunger relief programs. The produce is completely FREE to the Emergency Foodshelf Network except for the cost of shipping. Here is a sample of what our agencies have to say about The Lost Harvest:
"Congratulations with the LOST HARVEST Program! How Creative & Innovative you are at EFN. As an agency foodshelf, we are proud to be a member. Thanks for sharing The Lost Harvest produce with us to give to our clients in need. We have been a foodshelf for 37 years in the west metro and new we have nutritious food for our clients. Thanks so much for exploring this great opportunity and making it happen."
-Annette Marie Poeschel/ICA Director
Concord Elementary’s “A-Buck-For-A-Truck” campaign will raise funds toward rescuing one truckload of fresh produce, enough to feed 8,000 individuals. Each truckload contains 35,000 pounds of fresh produce, valued at $100,000, and we are able to provide it all to our network of hunger relief programs for about $4,000, the cost of transportation.
To help us continue our efforts and bring fresh produce to those in need, we’re asking you to join Concord Elementary and organize a Buck-For-A-Truck campaign at your company or organization. You have the power to help reduce waste and feed thousands of hungry Minnesotans.
Every truckload we rescue provides fresh produce like grapefruits, squash, peppers, salad mix and tomatoes for Twin Cities hunger relief agencies. The produce we receive is based upon the type of produce that is in season, but the produce is always harvested at the peak of freshness, giving our hunger relief partners first-rate, quality produce
Get your organization involved! No matter how large or how small, collecting bucks for our trucks will help rescue fresh produce for Minnesota hunger-relief agencies. Let us know you are interested, and we will be in contact with you to help set up your Buck-For-A-Truck campaign.
The Lost Harvest Background
The Emergency Foodshelf Network Inc. (EFN) is collaborating with the Food Providers of America (FPA), an agency that rescues and distributes produce that can be redistributed to those in need. Each year, millions of pounds of quality fresh fruits and vegetables are unable to be distributed and are thrown into landfills. The produce comes directly from Mexican growers into the U.S. at Nogales, AZ border and is inspected by the USDA. Due to overabundances and bottlenecks with inspections, the produce cannot be sold to distributors quick enough, and the southwest area food banks cannot ditribute it all. While the produce itself is free to EFN, the cost of getting this nutritious, fresh, quality food to those in need lies in the transporation of the product from the southwest border region to Minnesota. EFN is seeking ongoing financial support from the community to help make this program a reality.
Our goal is to bring a total of 30 truckloads, or 1,000,000 pounds of fresh quality fruits and vegetables from these regions to help feed local hungry individuals and families in 2008.
The response to The Lost Harvest has been tremendous and universally positive; since the first produce delivery last year, our network of agencies has repeatedly asked EFN to continue this initiative. Please make a donation today and help us support our network of hunger relief programs with fresh, nutritious produce!
It is not uncommon for foodshelves and hunger relief agencies to receive produce donations, but often these donations are over-ripe and “on the fringe” of being rotten and uneatable. The produce that EFN is dedicated to rescuing is harvested at peak fresheness and transported to Minnesota.
See pictures of our latest Lost Harvest shipment.