SAN DIEGO — Feeding San Diego, a prominent hunger-relief organization in the county, has joined forces with local farmers to combat food insecurity.
Through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA), the organization is now distributing locally grown produce purchased with federal funds to more than 1,300 homes in Alpine and Mira Mesa.
The initiative aims to benefit both farmers and community members in need.
"We're able to feed more people with the produce that is actually from their own community," said Kate Garrett, Director of Supply Chain at Feeding San Diego.
She emphasized the significance of supporting local food systems.
"So far, we've been able to distribute over 13,000 pounds of locally grown produce. We want to create a sustainable food system. And in order to do that, we need to ensure that we are building up these relationships with our farmers and that they can continue to rely on us to purchase more locally grown produce," said Garrett.
The LFPA program, a national initiative by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), allocates funds to purchase foods produced within the state or within 400 miles of the delivery destination.
Garrett said this not only supports the local food system, but also creates economic opportunities for local producers.
"We're really excited about this program. And we'd like to see more of this in the future," said Garrett.
Garrett said they will receive hundreds of thousands of dollars. The organization is expected to use these funds within the next two years to help those in need.
Feeding San Diego continues to take in donations. Visit Feeding San Diego's donate page to learn more.
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