Click here to view the 2017 Farm to Food Pantry report
One of the most challenging aspects of both farming and hunger relief is finding effective and efficient ways to deliver healthy, nutrient-dense fresh produce to those in need. At Rotary First Harvest, we are constantly exploring sustainable and effective ways to engage food sources (e.g. farmers, processors, packing houses) with hunger relief programs that serve hundreds of thousands of men, women and children across Washington State.
The Farm to Food Pantry (F2FP) model has helped Rotary First Harvest and our hunger relief partners to test and expand relationships and program models that are changing the dynamic in providing fresh produce for our Washington State’s most vulnerable people. The concept for F2FP was originally developed after a series of post-harvest conversations with growers revealed that a small infusion of cash at the right time of the season can make the difference in a farmer’s success. Today, F2FP continues to function as an incubator where new program models and ideas are being tested every season. These exciting new developments offer solutions that can be shared in communities statewide. Many of the concepts and models built through F2FP have been incorporated into broader hunger relief efforts across Washington.
