Fruit and vegetable growers from across Ontario have made a $25,000 donation to help fight hunger in the province. The contribution from the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) is going to Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue charity that redistributes nutritious but unsold food through school programs, seniors’ centers, shelters, food banks, and regional food hubs.
This year’s donation coincides with Local Food Week, which marks a celebration of all the fresh, healthy food grown in Ontario, as well as recognition for all the hard work farmers do to produce food for Ontarians.
“What better way to celebrate Local Food Week than to make this donation to Second Harvest to support their tremendous efforts in reducing both hunger and food waste,” says potato grower and OFVGA Chair Shawn Brenn. “As farmers, we’re so grateful for the continued support we receive from Ontarians, and this is just a small way for us to say thank-you by giving back to our communities and helping those in need.”
While many individual farmers regularly support their local food banks and programs that promote healthy eating, this is the third year in a row the OFVGA has made a direct donation of $25,000.
Second Harvest is based in Toronto but provides its free food redistribution service to charities, non-profits, and Indigenous communities in every Canadian province and territory. In over 35 years, the organization has rescued over 53 million pounds of healthy food, keeping it out of landfills and preventing 162 million pounds of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere.
“Year after year, the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association has made sizeable donations to support putting healthy and nutritious food on the plates of people that need it the most. This latest $25,000 contribution will immediately be put to work and directly aid the fights against food waste and food insecurity in Ontario,” says Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest. “The immense impact of the grower’s continued support of Second Harvest cannot be overstated!”
The OFVGA is the voice of Ontario’s 3,500 fruit and vegetable farmers on issues affecting the horticulture sector. The sector grows produce in fields and greenhouses across the province for fresh and processed consumption. Visit www.ofvga.org, or follow @OntFruitVeg on Twitter or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ofvga.
Second Harvest is Canada’s largest food rescue organization and is a global thought leader in perishable food redistribution. It operates at the intersection of hunger relief and environmental protection, tackling food loss and waste through food redistribution, research, awareness, and education, continually innovating and collaborating to ensure a more sustainable plant.
