Farmers Market Provides Produce to go for WSD Families

By: Katherine Williams
WSD Communications Intern

On July 6th, Wenatchee School District’s summer meal program launched with a special addition to the menu. Alongside District provided grab-and-go breakfast and lunch are fresh fruits and vegetables donated by Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market vendors. 

On Mondays at Lincoln Elementary School, students, their families, and members of the broader community can pick up fresh unsold produce from the farmers market while supplies last. Wenatchee School District Food Services Director, Chris Lutgen, said the free produce would not be limited just to students and their families. “We want to be able to give back to the community during such a difficult time,” he said. 

And the community seems to be responding positively to the efforts of the Wenatchee School District and the farmers market. According to Lutgen, on the first day, all of the produce was “dispersed within the first hour” of meal service. 

The idea to bring unsold, local produce to the community was championed by Beth Stipe, Executive Director at the Community Foundation of North Central Washington. The desire to get the unsold food into the hands of families has been there for a while, Stipe said. Logistical challenges including storage capacity for perishable goods and available staff to consistently transport them have been the main hurdles in bringing what is being called “The Community Sharing Table” to life. Stipe cites the sudden onset of COVID-19 in creating a heightened need for free and accessible healthy food. 

Stipe noted two key factors in making this partnership happen; “the generosity of the Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market and its vendors” for providing their unsold fruits and vegetables to the community and “the willingness of the Wenatchee School District to go above and beyond” by providing both the staff and the facilities to store the produce and distribute.. Lutgen also stressed the role of local farmers in the dispersal of fresh produce, saying that the program would not be possible without them. WSD’s Nutrition Services prioritized purchasing local products from area farms as part of their regular meal services during the school year. 

WSD’s summer meals are available Monday through Thursday from 11:00AM to 12:30PM until August 6th, with two days worth of meals being provided each Thursday to ensure children have meals for Friday. In addition to the school district’s program, the local non-profit Small Miracles, also provides free meals Monday through Thursday to the greater Wenatchee area. 

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