Our Programs

Transporting Fresh Food

Beginning in 2003, the FFP began working to make healthy fresh fruits and vegetables more readily available to people in poverty through area food pantries. Raising funds through private contributions, fund-raisers, and small grants, FFP purchases fresh produce from local growers. Then, with the help of dozens of caring volunteers, the FFP transports these fruits and vegetables to people in need. In 2012, the FFP delivered over 70,000 pounds of fresh produce to over 25 different food pantries, shelters and community meals programs in our five county region.

Eduction and Awareness

Educational Materials - Fresh Food Partnership will continue to develop and deliver short courses on nutrition, food purchasing, and food preparation for wellbeing. As demonstrated through earlier educational programs, the skills provided help empower people to select and enjoy healthier foods on a regular basis. We will rely on area churches and other facilities to host these food education courses. Area chefs will help to plan and guide these courses. In every case, we hope to promote healthy lifestyle choices while encouraging people to incorporate locally grown fresh produce in their regular diets.

Monthly Nutrition and Recipes - As a support to our pantries and to encourage pantry clients to experiment with produce that may be unfamiliar to them, we supply newsletters filled with seasonal reciples and nutrition information. Recent newsletters can be easily downloaded below.

June 2013 

Cooking Workshops - Young, old, experienced and not-so experienced cooks have opportunities to learn simple techniques to select and prepare our wonderful local fresh produce. Hands-on cooking workshops are offered under the guidance of a professionally trained chef that emphasizes the use of seasonal local fresh fruits and vegetables. There are demonstrations of cooking techniques for delicious, easy to prepare, and nutritious dishes. Workshops culminate with everyone enjoying the fruits of their labor as they share a meal together.

Farm to Market Program Engages Area Youth
Area students from the Grand Traverse Academy and Traverse Bay Area-Career Tech Center got out of the classroom and had an opportunity to experience first hand what goes into producing a local agricultural product. This is all part of a community service fundraising project in which more than two dozen 11th grade students cored, peeled and chopped over 1600 pounds of organic apples at the Honor-based canning company, Food for Thought. The locally grown apples, donated by generous area farmers Bruce Holland-Moritz and Bruce Walton, are the main ingredient in the unique product: Get Jammin', Organic Apple Jam. Proceeds from the sale of the tasty new product will support student programs and the Fresh Food Partnership efforts to help those in need.

This "farm to market" project gives students many learning opportunities as they find out about organic and sustainable farming practices by producing a local agricultural product, discovering marketing and entrepreneurial skills, and gaining the satisfaction of giving back to the community.

The Get Jammin' Apple Jam is not the only product offered through this innovative program. Another product called Get Fresh, Cherry Marinara Sauce, also produced at Food for Thought, is available as part of this fundraising and learning effort. Students from the Leelanau School were involved in picking the tomatoes, generously donated by Millie Hathaway.

These unique products are available for purchase at $5 each at the Fresh Food Partnership office.