VEAP’s food pantry welcomes donations of fresh garden vegetables throughout the harvest season. “Donating fresh produce gives low-income families in our community nutritional choices which will help prevent obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure,”
VEAP urges gardeners to plan ahead to grow an extra row in their gardens and designate it to VEAP. The essential fresh produce VEAP needs include beans, carrots, onions, peppers and tomatoes. Our clients are very diverse, so donations of all types are appreciated, including herbs and less than mainstream crops. For those of you who would like to grow produce for the food shelf, but don’t have a backyard garden, the option exists to participate in a community garden. Businesses and congregations around the area have developed community gardens with the intention of providing fresh produce for VEAP from their harvest. Community gardens are a wonderful way for any group to come together and grow for a cause. These gardens provide a place for friendships to grow and food production to thrive.
To find out more about how you can participate in a community garden for VEAP, contact Pamela Page 952.955.8322 or pamelap@veapvolunteers.org.
If tending the soil is not your area of expertise there are other ways you can donate fresh produce to VEAP. As always donations can be dropped off at VEAP at 9731 James Avenue South in Bloomington. Items will be accepted Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m-5:00 p.m. and Thursday until 7:00 p.m. This year donations are also being accepted at the Bloomington, Richfield and Edina Farmers’ Markets.