Brighter Bites continues to distribute produce during pandemic
(UPDATED) Brighter Bites, which distributes fresh produce to students and families through a network of schools, is working to reach them as schools shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The organization, which serves Houston, Dallas, Austin, Texas, New York City, metropolitan Washington D.C., and southwest Florida, is making nutrition education available for families when produce distribution is not an option.
Brighter Bites’ priority is the safety of its employees and families it serves, according to a news release, and it is “making every effort to find distribution mechanisms to ensure” families receive fresh produce.
“While the schools we partner with are closed, Brighter Bites is working with stakeholders to develop alternative opportunities for distributing produce to local families,” according to the release. “We are also working with our produce partner suppliers to redirect donated produce and working with our supply chain to help continue that process moving forward.”
Some of the Brighter Bites efforts during the crisis are;
- Providing more than 300 families with students at Public School 151Q in Queens, N.Y., with almost 4,600 pounds of organic grapes, oranges and pre-packed pantry bags from City Harvest;
- Packing and distributing 830 bags of fresh produce at three Austin elementary schools, using product donated by Hardie’s Fresh Food.
- Distributing produce to more than 500 families at the Bethel Assembly of God in Immokalee, Fla. Harry Chapin Food Bank, Southern Specialties, Freedom Fresh and B&W Quality Growers donated 12 different produce items.
Other Brighter Bites initiatives in progress include:
- Opening two produce distribution centers in Houston in collaboration with Harris County Precinct 2 and Houston Area YMCA; H-E-B corporate staff and the Schweitzer Foundation staff have offered to help;
- The North Texas Food Bank and the food banks it distributes to in Dallas are exempt from a “shelter in place” order, and Brighter Bites plans to distribute food donated by Brothers Produce’s Dallas branch and FreshPoint-Dallas/Austin;
- Offering produce distribution through a schools in Austin March 25 and March 27;
- Securing a distribution hub at a school in New York, if City Harvest can deliver the produce;
- Contacting Brighter Bites families in Washington, D.C., to alert them to take-home food options because the organization is unable to secure produce distribution hubs due to partner limitations; and
- Distributing produce in Southwest Florida through a partnership with the Southwest Florida Community Foundation, Blue Zones SW FL, and Lee County families.
Related stories:
Avocados From Mexico renews Brighter Bites partnership
Chelan Fresh donates Rockit apples through Brighter Bites
Cigna Foundation donates $100K to Brighter Bites
