Overwhelmed with squash, tomatoes? Food Bank welcomes donations

With tables groaning under the weight of the August harvest, the Food Bank of Delaware is offering to take some of it off your hands. Photo by Nuzul Arifia/Pexels.

If your kitchen counter is buried beneath piles of garden produce and your friends and relatives are saying no, no, no to more, more, more, send that garden goodness over the to Food Bank of Delaware.

The nonprofit announced Monday that it will accept fresh fruit and vegetables from backyard gardeners and local farmers.

“Our neighbors love getting fresh produce when they visit the Food Bank or one of our agency partners,” said CEO Cathy Kanefsky. “So many people who we serve have diet-related conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, so getting them fresh, nutritious foods is so important to us, and there is nothing better than a backyard summer tomato!”

Last year, the Food Bank of Delaware distributed 2.5 million pounds of fresh produce to Delawareans in need.

Produce comes from a variety of sources including farmers, backyard gardeners, local retailers and the Food Bank of Delaware’s own 5-acre farm in Newark and 3.5-acre garden in Milford.

IN THE NEWS: Chef Robert Lhulier to open Mediterranean restaurant at Avenue North

“Our own efforts to grow fresh produce serves as a commitment to supplying our neighbors in need with fresh and nutritious produce,” said Agricultural Programs Director Kyle Brolis.

One neighbor told the Food Bank that receiving produce helped a lot.

“My youngest daughter loves vegetables and fruit,” she said. “Even when she was a baby, she would eat any type of vegetable. And for our family, it’s a chance for my kids to try new things. Like beets, my mom cooked them, and they enjoyed them.”

Food Bank produce rules

To ensure food safety, please follow these produce donation guidelines:

Donate only good quality, fresh produce.
Please do not place fresh produce in trash bags when donating. Trash bags are not graded for food and cause chemicals to leach into the food.
Brush off as much mud and soil as possible from the produce.

Produce can be dropped off to the Food Bank of Delaware in Newark or Milford and Food Bank of Delaware partner food pantries throughout the state. Scroll down to the bottom of this page for a complete list of drop-off locations.