Good People, Good Times, Good Food…Box.

The Good Food Box has been a collaborative experience at Gateway Residential for more than a year. Gateway’s staff took on the challenge of initiating the fresh food distribution program in May of 2009. Through funding from Niagara’s Prosperity Initiatives Program, two part time staff have been added to Gateway’s talented group.

Every month, Staff, consumers, and community members work diligently for three days to feed hundreds of families across the Niagara Region. Fresh Produce is delivered from farms and wholesalers in large quantities to Welland’s Market Square. Good Food Box Volunteers then work at sorting and packing the produce into boxes. The boxes of fresh produce are distributed to Host sites in Welland, Fort Erie, Port Colborne, and St. Catharines, where customers pick them up and take home to enjoy. Many agencies across Niagara have engaged in the program and act as Host Sites.

The Good Food Box has joined communities and initiated connections between agencies, volunteers, and customers. Some of the Host Sites have developed “Healthy Eating Clubs” and use the produce distributed from the Good Food Box. The clubs gather monthly to cook recipes given published in the Good Food Box newsletter. This allows members to cook together, eat together, and bond through healthy food.

The Good Food Box will continue to grow through the Niagara Region. The program benefits everyone who volunteers, or purchases the produce. The program not only makes fresh produce accessible to the community at a reasonable cost, but it has the potential to help built healthy lifestyle. Please join us in our mission.

you can find out more about them here at mygoodfoodbox.com