In an effort to get more local food out to our community and to reduce waste in school gardens, GMFTS is expanding the Lunchbox’s “Market Basket” program for 2020.
After a successful pilot year in 2019, Green Mountain Farm-to-School (GMFTS) has secured more funding to operate the Market Basket at the Lunchbox, thanks to grants from the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation and the Oakland Foundation.
The Market Basket will provide free local produce on a first-come, first-serve basis for the public at all Lunchbox sites. All fruits and veggies available for the taking will be harvested from GMFTS’s 16 school gardens and purchased from GMFTS’s Farm Direct Partners.
Produce will be available at Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday Lunchbox sites in Derby, Barton, Newport, and Brownington, respectively. The Brownington sites are on select Fridays – July 17th and 24th. Market Basket produce will not be available at the Tuesday sites in Derby.
The week of July 13th – 17th there will be limited school garden produce from the season’s first harvest. Regular expanded Market Basket offerings will begin on July 20th and end on August 6th.
The Lunchbox offers free meals to children 18 and under, and provides affordable meals for adults to purchase. Learn more about the Lunchbox here: http://greenmountainfarmtoschool.org/2021-redesign/programs/the-lunchbox/
