💚Sometimes a child, a book, and a bag of produce tell the whole story.
Students served.
Servings of fresh fruits and vegetables distributed.
Produce bags packed.
Nutrition lessons delivered.
Families reached.
The impact shows up in the numbers. But we know it is so much more than that.
Last night, as our co-founder Nichole Dube was finishing packing produce bundles for families in our Summer Nutrition Program, she shared something that stopped us in our tracks.
She was wondering, as so many people doing direct service work sometimes do, whether the work is making enough of a difference.
Then she thought about a 3-year-old neighborhood child she has known since he was born. He came to the farm stand, excited to read the Macieverse books about where our food comes from, while his mom shopped. His family lives nearby, where Dube’s Farm is located, in a community where the closest grocery store is now about 20 minutes away since the local Winn-Dixie closed.
That is what this work is really about.
It is about fresh produce.
It is about working with our local farmers.
It is about nutrition education.
It is about healthy snacks and weekly take-home food for families.
It is about children seeing fruits, vegetables, books, farms, and healthy choices as part of everyday life.
And it is about reminding people that they have not been forgotten.
This week, after a call from some of our favorite farmers who needed to move microgreens, we pivoted. Our team is now sampling multiple varieties with students at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay in Lacoochee, Dade City, as part of the same effort to make fresh food more familiar, engaging, and accessible.
At the same time, we had a driver out delivering 30 bundles of fresh produce to people who do not have transportation and have limited connection with others throughout the week.
This work is not always easy. But stepping back and thinking about the moments and the individuals reminds us why it matters.
Yes, we are making a difference.
The aha moments, high fives, hugs, smiles, and relief we see when we bring fresh produce to those we serve are what we carry with us as we continue to learn, adapt, and find the models that work for the communities and partners we serve.
Special shoutout to AdventHealth West Florida for their program sponsorship and Shady Oaks, LLC Farms for their amazing greens.
We are grateful to every partner, sponsor, volunteer, educator, farmer, and family helping us grow that impact.
