THATCHER — The Gila Valley’s opportunity to eat healthy keeps getting easier.
Marion Hastings with the Safford Lions Club said Borderlands Produce Rescue has made a PowWow voucher program available to Gila Valley residents who qualify.
“Borderlands put in for a $5,000 grant and they got it,” Hastings said. “They welcomed us to use it and it’s for seniors and low-income (residents).”
To obtain a voucher to receive up to 70 pounds of produce free, contact the Graham County Health Department.
Borderlands provides fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution by the Safford Lions Club in the Produce on Wheels Without Waste (PowWow) program. On the first Saturday of each month, in the parking lot of Home Depot, participants receive up to 70 pounds of produce for a donation of $15. Purchasers remain in their vehicle, as volunteers place the produce in the trunk, truck bed or back seat.
Residents can pre-purchase the produce through Borderlands’ online system. Cost for online ordering is $20 for 70 pounds, with drive-through pick-up at Home Depot Saturday morning.
Door Dash is also available for those unable to travel to Home Depot Saturday morning. Cost for Door Dash orders is $15 for one 25 pound box of produce, or $30 for two 25-pound boxes.
PowWow takes place Saturday, May 4, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. or while supplies last. To purchase online or order through Door Dash, click here.
Borderlands, in Nogales, has been rescuing unsold produce for 29 years, making it available to the public through partnerships with nonprofit organizations throughout Southeastern Arizona. It’s estimated more than 750 million pounds of fresh produce has gone on people’s dining tables rather than being dumped in landfills.
