Produce Donation
A Tradition of Giving Back
We started donating produce in 2013 - see our giving history Here. Check out this article in the Arvada Press Here about how we built our barn for food donation management and as a community gathering space with community support. Our goal is to reach a donation total of 15,000 lbs! You gardeners can help us do it!
What Rose Roots Gardeners Can Do
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Donate Produce
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1. We invite gardeners to donate any excess produce grown by bringing it to the Barn and storing it in the fridge. Just clean off the dirt (do not wash please) and put leafy greens in the bags provided in the fridge while larger more durable produce goes in the box outside the fridge (more detail below).
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Log Donation Poundage
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3. Pick up and delivery workers can log the total pounds collected per shift at the "Log Produce Lbs Donated" link below.
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Please contact Food Donation Lead Theresa McKinney Here with questions.
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Help us meet our goal and provide community in need with nutritious produce from our garden!
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The Back Story
Here is some Backstory: We began donating produce to the community in 2013, making 2021 our 9th year of giving. In 2013, we donated 365 lbs of produce. In late 2017, we completed the barn build with a $10,000 grant from Wells Fargo and LOTS of help from our community. The barn has greatly improved our ability to manage donated produce and “get more out the barn door”!
Each year, gardeners have continued to impress us with their hard work and generosity. We crept annual donation totals up to 1,000 then 2,000 and finally just over 3,000 lbs annually. Gardeners hit the 3,000 lb mark in 2019. 2020 was a challenging year as the Community Table could not accept donations, but we were fortunate to have Rose Roots Gardeners partner with the Community in Blue program, in which Police officers delivered produce to five families in need. Our garden also partnered with a safe house to deliver to single mothers and children.
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This year we are focusing on donating to two organizations: Arvada's Community Table Food Bank and Veggie Van. Here are some suggestions for gardeners:
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Tips:
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Onions, tomatoes, potatoes and squash are best left in baskets, bins, etc in the barn. Greens, herbs and other tender veggies are best refrigerated. Part of our job, as volunteers, is to keep the workbench and refrigerator free and clean for donations!
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It's best to BRUSH dirt off of donated produce but do NOT rinse or wash produce being donated, as that kicks off the bacterial process which can more quickly age the produce, limiting the “freshness” days!
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Thank you to everyone who makes this program happen!
Sincerely,
Rose Roots Produce Donation Team
Partnerships
Helping local organizations help others
Community Table: This is Arvada's largest food bank which serves hundreds of community members daily in need. Our Food Donation Team delivers produce to the Community Table twice weekly.
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Website: Cotable.org
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Veggie Van: We are proud to partner with the local delivery service Veggie Van which delivers regionally to communities in need. See their 2020 Summary Report below.
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Website: arvadaveggievan.com
