Group Meals Financial institution of Southern Arizona has been serving southern Arizona for 47 years.
The native meals financial institution distributed 336,710 emergency meals containers in 2022 and picked up 614,221 kilos of meals by meals drives.
A big a part of these efforts is because of native farmers who donate contemporary produce to these in want.
“It’s superb, the outreach of this group, after we opened that as much as present that meals to the neighborhood,” stated Billy Shriver, considered one of seventy farmers who contribute to Group Meals Financial institution.
Shriver is the co-owner of Product owner’s Backyard, an aquaponics backyard. These gardens use the waste from farmed fish to develop contemporary produce.
Born out of an thought throughout a 2015 New Yr’s occasion with household, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Shriver and his son, Chaz Shelton, turned the thought right into a actuality.
“We had an thought, and we needed to make it occur, in order that’s form of how it began,” he stated.
Throughout Arizona, one in 9 individuals faces starvation, together with practically 270,000 kids who lack entry to ample and wholesome meals.
Shriver stated, “It’s so necessary to eat contemporary meals; it’s why we began this firm.”
It’s laborious to think about the affect group meals banks may need if it weren’t for the assist of native farmers, who general contributed to greater than 62 million kilos of meals donated final 12 months.
” day is [when] we’re offering well being to our associates, neighborhoods, eating places and grocery shops,” Shriver stated when requested what a profitable day appears to be like like.
Along with donating to Group Meals Financial institution, Shriver says they maintain a drive-thru market each Thursday, Friday and Saturday for these in want of contemporary produce.
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Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the staff in January 2023. Earlier than arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story concepts with Kenny by emailing [email protected] or by connecting on Fb, Instagram or Twitter.
