LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Three Square food bank has launched "Farm Fresh," a new initiative that partners with farms and growers across the country to rescue high-quality surplus produce and distribute it to the community for free.
WATCH | Anyssa Bohanan shares the details on the organization's first distribution in this program:
On Saturday, volunteers loaded cars with about 35 pounds of fresh produce per household at nine drive-thru distribution sites across the Valley.
Three Square says they distribute that produce to nearly 2,500 families. The goal of the initiative is to both reduce food waste and increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
"I've been out at our distributions over the last several months, and in truth, Three Square has been distributing more produce because we've had some great new relationships with farms," said Three Square CEO Beth Martino. "Over the last several months, and as we've been out distributing that produce, the response from our neighbors has been incredible. They're really seeking that fresh produce. They're seeking things that help to stretch their food budgets a little bit further."
Martino says Three Square has seen a rise in need since the pandemic, and that the demand for food remains high throughout the year.
"People in southern Nevada are food insecure 12 months out of the year, so this is just one way that Three Square is doing a little more than we have to try to reach our food insecure neighbors," Martino said of the new distributions.
She says that they started with nine locations on Saturday, but there will be locations moving forward seven days a week all across the community.
You can find locations and times for both Farm Fresh and the usual Three Square food drives through the Food Finder Tool on Three Square's website here.