Thanksgiving Harvest Boxes’ help feed local families

‘Thanksgiving Harvest Boxes’ help feed local families

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PROVIDENCE (WPRI) — Farm Fresh Rhode Island has a 20-year history of bringing community together around locally grown food, and this Thanksgiving is no different.

ORIGINAL NOTE: https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providence/farm-fresh-ri-launches-thanksgiving-harvest-box-sale/

The Providence-based food hub is selling its popular harvest boxes so you can make a great holiday meal yourself or donate one to a family in need.

“You can donate a box to those in need. You can buy one for your family. You can donate four,” Farm Fresh Rhode Island Director of Giving Nikki Ayres said. “We really leave it open for the public to be able to make that choice.”

Each harvest box contains an array of fresh seasonal vegetables, an 8-inch pumpkin pie and a jar of cranberry sauce. Everything is sourced directly from farms and producers in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. The only thing missing is a turkey.

“This is the majority of what will go in the box,” Market Mobile Program Director Cayne Cabral said. “Aside from some herbs, we’re going to have a turkey rub down in the box. But this is the cream of the crop, so to speak.”

The Thanksgiving Harvest Box program has been going strong for four years, but it wasn’t until last year that Farm Fresh Rhode Island opened it up to donations.

“We worked with the Coventry Community Food Bank and we donated 181 boxes,” Ayres said.

This year, Farm Fresh Rhode Island has partnered with the West End Community Center to distribute donations to families in the Providence area and they’re already on track to give many more meals. DoorDash has pledged $5,000 to the program, which is about 500 meals, or 58 harvest boxes, for families in need.

Ayres said giving families the ability to access locally grown food that they can prepare themselves is a win for both farmers and the public alike.

“By being able to buy and/or donate one of these boxes, you’re not only helping farmers get their food into the food system, but you’re also helping farmers feed people in need.” Ayres explained. “And that’s not always a straightforward thing for a farmer to be able to do.”

The harvest box sale runs through Nov. 15, although Ayres warned that it often sells out before then. Orders are picked up at Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s headquarters at 10 Sims Ave. in Providence on Nov. 26 and 27.