Program total for 19 weeks is 9,810 pounds of fresh food for local food banks and community organizations that feed the hungry. We’re pretty sure we can reach 10,000 pounds of food within the next two weeks. We’ll be collecting at every Carrboro Farmers’ Market so feel free to come out any time and “buy a bag of food for yourself and give a bag of food for the hungry!”

Local food is more nutritious. The Carrboro Farmers’ Market food is the same food that is served by Lantern Restaurant (one of the foodshare challenge sponsors), Magnolia Grill, Watts Grocery, GlassHalfFull and many other fine restaurants. We’re so thankful to the farmers and shoppers of Carrboro Farmers’ Market to be able to provide this food to people who don’t normally have access to it.

Note: Per Chad’s comment above, I’ve heard that Durham Farmers’ Market and the State Farmers Market have similar surplus food collection programs. However, if anyone wants to start a similar program at their own farmers market, or with a local grocery store, just let me know: mgw@well.com or contact the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. We’d be happy to share learnings from our own program. One of our farmers, Lyons Farm, commented recently that he doesn’t understand why _every_ market doesn’t do this.