A Food Pantry Produce Pilot Program Benefits Cortez Families and Local Producers

Households experiencing food insecurity in Cortez rarely have access to fresh, locally grown produce—a problem made worse by the recent cancellation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchasing Assistance program, which had connected food pantries directly with regional growers. Recognizing both the need in the community and an opportunity to support aging farmers who can no longer sustain the demands of selling at multiple markets each week, staff members at Good Food Collective came up with a solution. LOR’s funding helped Good Food Collective purchase locally grown produce from Banga’s Farm to launch a food pantry produce pilot program, delivering an estimated 13,000 pounds of fresh produce to Good Samaritan Food Pantry, Hope’s Kitchen, and Grace’s Kitchen. The program creates a streamlined distribution model that benefits both families in need and local producers, keeping food dollars circulating within the regional economy. By piloting this approach in Cortez, Good Food Collective hopes to lay the groundwork for a replicable model that can strengthen food security and agricultural resilience across rural communities.

This project is fiscally sponsored by Onward! A Legacy Foundation.