Feed Phoenix Delivers Over 16,000 Locally Produced Meals to Phoenicians in Need
Jennifer from Witnessing Food and Nature with her food boxes that went directly to the Feed Phoenix Project to feed the homeless and COVID-affected encampment lots.
We’re heading into week eight of the #FeedPhoenix Initiative with over 16,000 meals and 1,200 fresh produce boxes delivered to over 17,200 individuals in need! The program is nearing its goal of providing 30,000 meals by November, which wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and support of participating restaurants, caterers, farms, producers, and partner kitchens who are making Feed Phoenix a reality across the city. These local businesses are working tirelessly to keep Phoenicians healthy and strong during this social and economic crisis by distributing nutritious, fresh meals and produce boxes to homeless camps, food pantries, and nonprofit organizations.
Feed Phoenix is a partnership between the City of Phoenix and Local First Arizona that gives Phoenix farms, food producers, and meal preparers an opportunity to get reimbursed for every meal they provide to individuals impacted by COVID-19 or resulting hardships. The program helps participating farmers maintain land and farm operation jobs and has prevented valuable food from rotting in their fields. It has also provided added income to the program’s restaurants and food service producers, which has helped keep their lights on, employees paid, and their communities well-fed.
“The Feed Phoenix program connects the latent capacities in our local food system and enables farmers and food service professionals to get back to work and provide meaningful support for families impacted by COVID-19. ”
Chef Kevin Lebron from Pachamama prepping meal delivery to Phoenicians in need.
Collaboration among local farmers and food service producers are making Feed Phoenix a reality:
Phoenix’s favorite caterers such as Bruce Brown Catering and Amici Catering have stepped up to create meals using fresh produce from Al-Hamka Farms and Abby Lee Produce. These meals are provided to UMOM, an organization that provides safe shelter and supportive services to over 600 individuals and families.
The Daily Dose and Fair Trade Cafe are locally owned restaurants working with Green on Purpose, an organization that connects locally grown food producers with local businesses. Together, they create meals for the Feed Phoenix Project, a grass-roots program located in Downtown Phoenix that is staffed by volunteers bringing meals to those housed in COVID-19 homeless encampments.
Project Roots, a non-profit organization with two community gardens located in South and Central Phoenix, drops fresh produce boxes to Native Health, a provider of medical, dental, WIC, and behavioral health services to urban Native American and other populations in the Phoenix area.
Harvest Compassion Center, a food bank that serves families in the Phoenix/Maryvale area, receives weekly meals created by restaurants Lovecraft and PHX eats cafe that includes produce grown by YoBro.
Making a produce bag drop to Native Health with Project Roots.
Feed Phoenix is a Model for a Resilient and Sustainable Food System
Feed Phoenix is forging new relationships between local farms, restaurants, and food service producers that will last beyond the crisis. It has opened direct communication between farms and restaurants and created a bridge for restaurants to more easily source locally grown produce.
The program is also a great example of how to actively build a more resilient and sustainable food system that can be applied and used across other Arizona cities.
Thank you to the City of Phoenix for working with us to put these small businesses back to work, helping save locally grown food from going to waste, supporting small Phoenix-owned restaurants and caterers and making sure no one goes hungry. #LocalFirstAZ #FeedPhoenix #GoodFoodAZ #CityofPhoenix