Golden Harvest Food Bank will be holding a produce distribution for Georgia residents in the parking lot of its main Augusta warehouse on October 26 from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. Individuals and families will have the opportunity to drive up to the warehouse and have fresh produce loaded into their vehicles. The distribution will take place in the parking lot of the 3310 Commerce Drive location. Cars will not be able to line up for the distribution until 4pm due to food bank partner agencies picking up food for their pantries.

A recent food donation, supplied by the Local Food Procurement Assistance (LFPA) program, will allow Golden Harvest Food Bank to provide its community members with healthy food items including but not limited to squash, tomatoes, and pecans. The LFPA program is funded by the USDA with goals of helping small and medium-sized and socially disadvantaged growers in Georgia, and also strengthening local food systems across the state. The USDA defines socially disadvantaged growers as those belonging to groups that have been subject to racial or ethnic prejudice. 

“There are currently 1 in 9 people in our 25-county service area that are food insecure and are sometimes left wondering where their next meal is going to come from,” said Amy Breitmann, President & CEO, Golden Harvest Food Bank. “Feeding our neighbors takes a collective effort and thanks to this generous donation we are not only getting more food into the mouths of those in need, but we’re also helping support local farmers across the state of Georgia.”

Golden Harvest Food Bank and its over 350 partner agencies and programs have continuously provided fresh produce to its neighbors throughout the year at their organizations and pantry locations throughout the CSRA.

The food bank is currently in the process of building a Produce Rescue Center to help close the 8.8 million meal gap in its service area and provide its neighbors with healthy, nutritious food items. The Produce Rescue Center will allow the food bank to bring in significantly more volunteers needed to ensure a greater impact, and drastically increase the amount of fresh produce, meat and dairy items distributed to Golden Harvest partner agencies and clients across the organization’s 11,000 square mile service area in Georgia and South Carolina.

On Thursday, volunteers will place fresh produce into the trunks of incoming vehicles. Each car may receive enough produce to feed two families. As supplies last, quantity and variety of each item may vary. Please arrive in a vehicle with the trunk empty.