April 27, 2020 — Leading fresh fruit and vegetable companies in collaboration with PRO*ACT BB #:141746 are donating more than $1 MM in fresh fruits and vegetables to benefit healthcare responders on the front lines.
The initiative, Feeding Our Frontlines, was created to show appreciation and gratitude to healthcare heroes for their courageous efforts on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis. More than 35,000 boxes filled with fresh produce and vegetables are being distributed to healthcare establishments so employees can take repacked boxes of produce home at the end of a long shift. The roughly 12-15 pound box can feed a family of four for up to a week.
PRO*ACT established Produce Partners at www.producepartners.org as the information hub.
Distribution of the produce will be prioritized to the hospitals that are at the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis including New York Presbyterian, Johns Hopkins, Massachusetts General, and hospitals in 16 other states. Driscoll’s, BB #:116044 the leader in fresh berries, was the first company to commit more than $350,000 in berry donations to this initiative.
Additional produce companies who are contributing to the effort include Sunkist, Taylor Farms, Dole, Mission, Rainier, Wada Farms, Mann Packing, and Grimmway Farms.
Now more than ever, fresh produce companies are committed to feeding the needs of the public. The food and agriculture industry accounts for roughly one-fifth of the nation’s economic activity and has been identified as one of the critical infrastructures during COVID-19. Growers, farmworkers, transportation providers and grocers are considered essential workers and we are all are proud to contribute to the U.S. economy.
“Our industry is built on successful partnerships. In a time when our communities are coming together to make sacrifices to protect the vulnerable, we are proud to stand with partners committed to providing for the brave” said PRO*ACT COO Brian Kane. “Our distributors, suppliers and employees are thankful for this tangible way to support healthcare employees at the end of long, stressful shift. The last thing we want is for them to worry about providing for their families during their daily battles on the frontline.”
“We’re pleased that members of the produce industry have been committing resources during this time of need” said J. Miles Reiter, Chairman and CEO of Driscoll’s. “We are all working together to ensure communities are supported and we’d like to recognize the extraordinary healthcare efforts by giving back where we can.”
The first donation of 300 boxes were delivered to Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) in Manhattan where the amazing staff is working around the clock to provide safe and exceptional care to patients, even after multiple staff members dealt with Covid-19 infections. Their efforts are recognized on social media through #MSKHealthcareHeroes.
Distribution of the Produce Boxes will be focused on the cities hit hardest with COVID-19. To learn more about Produce Partners, our mission, and to find a way to support, distribute, or bring donations to your hospital visit www.producepartners.org
About PRO*ACT
PRO*ACT is North America’s leading distributor of fresh food to the foodservice and retail industries, sourcing from premier national, regional, and local suppliers. PRO*ACT distributors work in their regions to bring fresh produce to over 200k restaurants, airports, hospitals, schools, grocery stores, and other customers of all shapes and sizes. PRO*ACT has grown to over 100 distribution centers serving 98.4% of the population of the United States and Canada.
About Driscoll’s
Driscoll’s is the global market leader of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. With more than 100 years of farming heritage and hundreds of independent growers around the world, Driscoll’s is passionate about growing great tasting berries. Driscoll’s exclusive patented berry varieties are developed through years of research using only traditional breeding methods. Driscoll’s is the trusted brand for Only the Finest Berries™.
