SAFFORD – Affordable produce is coming to the Gila Valley.
Produce On Wheels With Out Waste (POWWOW) will soon be offering 60 pounds of produce in exchange for a $10 contribution. Identification cards are needed, and participants can pre-register for a POWWOW card. The cards are also available on the day of the POWWOW event and there are no income qualifications.
The POWWOW Farmer’s Market will be at the Home Depo parking lot on the fourth Wednesday of every month, starting in December. The first Graham County POWWOW Farmer’s Market will be held Nov. 30. For more information or to pre-register contact the Graham County Health Department at (928)-792-5368
POWWOW is an element of the Borderlines Food Bank, which is a non-profit organization located in Nogales, Ariz. The organization rescues nutritious produce and ships it to families. Borderlands has been in operation for 20 years and has annually shipped between 30 to 40 million pounds of produce in 39 different varieties. Borderline Food Bank delivers the produce throughout Arizona, including the Tucson and Phoenix areas.
Laura Rogers, a Health programs coordinator with Health in Arizona Policy Initiative (HAPI), is one of the individuals in charge of bringing the produce to the Gila Valley.
“The Graham County POWWOW Farmer’s Market is a great opportunity for everyone in the county to purchase healthy fresh produce at a reduced cost,” Rogers said. “The 60 pounds of produce that you will receive when you participate in the POWWOW event each month can be shared with your family and friends.”
According to dietary guidelines released in 2010, the average American should be filling up half their plate with fruits and vegetables. Various fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and acids to help keep the body healthy by helping to prevent malnutrition and disease. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), less than 18 percent of adults eat the recommended amount of fruit, and less than 14 percent of adults ingest the recommended amount of vegetables.