Fresh, nutritious, free – Reinvented program gets produce where it’s most needed

June 1, 2018 – “Beautiful.” “So fresh.” “Mangoes are my favorite.”

As people go through the line at a recent Free Food Market, they repeatedly comment on the high quality of the produce. For many who experience hunger, fresh produce is a luxury.

For more than a dozen years, Oregon Food Bank, along with its partners, has been running free produce distributions. Once called Community Basket or Harvest Share, the programs were recently combined and renamed Free Food Market.

“Free Food Market clearly communicates what’s being offered and it translates well into other languages,” says Rob Rutledge-Shryock, Oregon Food Bank’s community food programs coordinator. “In addition to fresh produce the markets now have a small selection of pantry staples, such as chicken stock, rice and oil.”

Usually running in partnership with non-profit and community-led organizations, Free Food Market is held at 33 locations across the Portland-metro area. Food items can be adjusted to better match cultural and dietary needs of the community.

Your support of Oregon Food Bank ensures that Free Food Market is able to distribute high quality foods in communities that need extra support. To find out more about Free Food Market or other Community Food Programs, visit oregonfoodbank.org/freefoodmarket.