The Community Food Bank’s Marana Farm Stand is now open to the public Monday evenings selling naturally grown local fruits and vegetables.

What:   Marana Farm Stand
When:  Every Monday 4pm-7pm
Where: Marana Farm Ramada at the Heritage River Park
  12375 N. Heritage Park Drive
   South of Tangerine Farms Road on Heritage Park Drive
   West side of I-10 between Moore Rd and Tangerine Rd

The Farm Stand sells locally grown fruits, vegetables and honey.  Shoppers can pay with cash, food stamps, debit, credit and Arizona Farmers’ Market Nutrition vouchers.  The vouchers are given to mothers and seniors participating in Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Food Plus, both federal food programs.

The Food Bank’s stand consists of seasonal organic produce from the Food Bank Farm including melons, squash, cucumbers, eggplant and other seasonal fruits and vegetables. Produce including potatoes, apples, peaches and grapes from other organic growers in Glendale, Arivaca, Dragoon and Willcox is also sold.

Marana growers Michael and Rebecca Park bring a beautiful selection of winter and summer squash and Armenian cucumbers, all grown at their home in Marana.

Looking for More Northwest Growers of Any Size

The Farm Stand would like to feature more produce from Northwest communities and is looking for people interested in growing and selling produce, eggs, honey and meat.  Growers could be any size from small home gardeners to farmers with acreage.  Local growers can set up their own booth for a small fee or can consign their produce for sale through the Food Bank’s Community Foods Consignment program. 

For home gardeners, selling excess produce can be a great way to provide a little extra household income.  Approximately 25 home gardeners presently consign produce and eggs to the Food Bank and with help from volunteers the produce is sold at the Food Bank’s Farmers’ Markets.  All produce must be locally grown by the people who sell or consign it for sale.  Local produce is the tastiest and healthiest.

For more information about the Farm Stand or the Consignment program please call Dana Helfer (520) 622-0525 ext 249.

Bill Carnegie, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Community Food Bank has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Arizona Food Banks (AAFB).  He will serve a one year term

The Arizona Association of Food Banks was established in 1984.  The Association is a support organization serving its six member regional food bank warehouses and a network of more than 1,250 food pantries and agencies in Arizona.  Members distribute an average of 10 million pounds of food per month to low-income Arizonans.  The association is committed to delivering food and quality services to food banks and to fostering relationships in support of the commitment to eliminate hunger.

“I look forward to working with Bill this year and knowing he will provide an outstanding level of accountability and direction for our organization,” said Ginny Hildebrand, Executive Director of the Association of Arizona Food Banks.  “ Bill Carnegie’s election as Chairman of the Board of AAFB follows in a long line of leadership given by Arizona food banks and community members who have helped to reinforce the concepts of collaboration and cooperation among food banks to eliminate hunger.”

Mr. Carnegie served as a finance officer in the United States Coast Guard for twenty years prior to beginning his career in Food Banking.  His first assignment was as Director of Operations for the Second Harvest Gleaners Food Bank in Grand Rapids, Michigan and then as President and CEO of the Food Bank of Northern Indiana.  He acted as a member of America’s Second Harvest Disaster Response Team during the Katrina and Rita hurricane relief efforts in 2005.  Mr. Carnegie joined the Community Food Bank in January 2006.

For additional information, contact Jack Parris at (520) 622-0525 x 215 or Cell at (520) 444-5412.

The Community Food Bank’s Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market will host a Family Health Fair on Thursday, August 28th from 4:00 to 7:00 PM.

Farmers and gardeners will sell locally produced fruit, vegetables, eggs and honey at the Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market on this date, but additionally local organizations dedicated to family, health and wellness will offer information to the public about diabetes prevention, good nutrition, health benefits of native foods and cooking demonstrations.  There will be educational activities for the children with music provided by local artists.

Participating organizations include the Community Food Bank, Carondelet Health Network, El Rio Community Health Centers, Pima County Cooperative Extension and Mano y Metate.

The Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market is located on the northeast corner of Speedway and Riverview (between the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind and El Rio Neighborhood Center). The Family Health Fair is free and open to the public.

For more information on the Sana Cruz River Farmers’ Market Family Health Fair on August 28th, contact Sara Rickard at (520) 622-0525 x 242

The Westward Look’s Sonoran Spa will hold a “Monsoon Magic” Charity Event to benefit the Community Food Bank on Friday, August 29, 2008.  The event will begin at 6:30 PM at the Westward Look Sonoran Spa located at 245 E. Ina Road. The $60.00 tickets for the event include refreshments and 2 mini healing arts services of your choice and much more.  For guests who wish to attend without the mini services, tickets will be $40.00.

The Center Stage Dance Studio will entertain with dance numbers and Jasson Magness and Jill Hadap of Yoga Flow will be performing the Arco Yoga.

For reservations to “Monsoon Magic, contact the Sonoran Spa at (520) 917-2467.

The M & I Bank locations in the greater Tucson area will sponsor a food drive during the month of August to benefit the Community Food Bank.  The summer months are the slowest time of the year for food donations and the M & I Bank wants to help feed the hungry in Southern Arizona

The public is asked to stop by their nearest M & I Bank and drop off a donation of non-perishable food.  The most needed items are canned meats, canned vegetables, canned soups, cereal, peanut butter, canned fruit and tomato products.

The M & I Bank locations are…

270 W. Continental Road, Green Valley, Arizona
1200 N. Wilmot Road, Tucson, Arizona
35 N. Houghton Road, Tucson, Arizona
7820 N. Cortaro Road, Marana, Arizona
10655 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley, Arizona
4380 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, Arizona

For further information about the M & I Bank August Food Drive, contact Dezirae Sheppard at (520) 731-6600.

During the month of August, Bashas’ Supermarkets are teaming up with local radio stations and the community at large to hold a statewide food drive.  One hundred percent of all donations will benefit local food banks and St. Vincent de Paul.

Donate though the Association of Arizona Food Banks’ Secure website here

In Tucson, KIIM radio will be the radio partner and the Community Food Bank will benefit in this “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation” food drive. The local Tucson area Bashas’ Supermarkets will be selling $1 icons at the store cash registers from August 1 through August 31. Individuals who donate will have a chance to win various “Staycation” prizes from KIIM radio.

Check with your local Bashas’ Supermarket for details.

Hunger Action Month is an opportunity to engage in the fight against domestic hunger. America’s Second Harvest (soon to be Feeding America) and its 205 member food banks, including the Community Food Bank,  will host events across the United States that directly benefit our hunger-relief efforts. Learn More…