Author: Jerilyn White, Board President, Community Director & Co-founder, ProduceGood

ProduceGood is a nonprofit that connects surplus produce with food-insecure individuals in San Diego County to reduce waste and hunger. Over the past 12 months, 131,000 pounds of fresh produce have been “upcycled” into 393,000 servings.

Through impactful programs and a passion for access to nutritious food, ProduceGood’s Charitable Fresh Produce Provision Network benefits thousands of women, children, seniors, veterans and other food-insecure populations throughout the region. 

ProduceGood is just 53,000 pounds shy of providing residents with 1 million servings. Through the support of generous growers and donors, 800 community volunteers have harvested from backyard citrus trees, farmers markets and local farms to supply its network of feeding agencies with an average of 15,000 servings since July 1, 2017. To date, ProduceGood has supplied over 15,000 whole produce servings to support multiple meals a day for over 300 women and children.

In the past, meals at food banks, shelters and other feeding agencies were typically made from canned goods, but fresh vegetables supplied by ProduceGood for cooking and snacks are changing lives, both through the nutritional value and as culinary therapy.

Big Sisters League, a partnering organization that serves food to low income individuals, is currently creating a cookbook with recipes inspired by the diverse bounty of produce being supplied each week by ProduceGood. Feeding partners such as Big Sisters League are making it possible to reduce waste & hunger in one sweet step!