Meg Burmeister, the Executive Director for
the NEK Council on Aging is pleased to announce a new pilot program in
partnership with Salvation Farms to deliver fresh produce to area community
meal sites.
Salvation Farms, located in Morrisville, VT, is a non-profit organization that
coordinates the collection of Vermont grown, surplus fruits and vegetables and
distributes them throughout Vermont and beyond. In 2018, their Lamoille Valley
Gleaning program captured and moved an excess of 200,000 servings of wholesome,
locally grown produce that would have remained on farms, never to be eaten.
This nutritious food was provided to programs that feed some of the regions
more vulnerable residents.
“Salvation Farms started gleaning the Lamoille Valley in north, central Vermont
fifteen years ago. We provide direct service to farms, organize volunteers,
collect produce from fields and wash/pack-houses, and coordinate distribution
of nutrient dense food to folks with limited access to the fresh food grown in
their communities,” said Theresa Snow, Executive Director of Salvation Farms. “We are eager to explore this expanded
distribution opportunity with the NEK Council on Aging and to make Vermont’s
agricultural bounty available to seniors in the state’s northeast region.”
Laura Valcour, the NEKCOA’s Director of Nutrition and Wellness is excited about
the project. “We’re thrilled to establish the partnership with Salvation Farms
in the Northeast Kingdom. What an
incredible opportunity to support our local farms, our communities, and our
food system. It’s a win-win for all.”
The NEKCOA/Salvation Farms pilot program will include five meals sites: Barton (BASSI), Glover, Lyndonville, Orleans,
and West Burke. Produce will be
delivered weekly in an effort to use locally sourced food and to improve the
nutritional value of the meals.
“Whether you are an older Vermonter who can’t get out to shop for food, are
recovering from surgery and can’t cook (and need temporary meals delivered), or
you want to get out and join your friends and neighbors in a community dining
experience, the NEK Council on Aging has resources to help you be healthy,
happy, and enthusiastic about what you eat,” said Burmeister.
