What if we told you there’s a way for folks in Greenville to get an entire box of fresh fruits + veggies for $10?
Mill Village Farms — an organization that falls under the umbrella of Mill Community Ministries along with Village Engage, Village Launch, and Village Wrench — started their FoodShare Greenville food box program for those members of our community facing food insecurity or hardship back in April 2018.
Since then, the program has distributed 519,210 pounds of produce in 34,000+ food boxes — that’s more than two blue whales, which, by the way, is the largest animal known to have ever existed. Each box includes “10-12 varieties of top-quality fruits and vegetables that are sourced as locally + seasonally as possible.” Additionally, every box is equipped with a recipe card, either in English or Spanish, that helps recipients create simple, delicious dishes with the produce in their box.
For some Greenvillians, buying healthy food is neither convenient nor affordable, but these boxes strive to provide a systemic solution to healthy food insecurity in our community. Recently, Mill Village Farms also launched a virtual community cooking show on Facebook Live called Fresh Out of the Box.
This show provides FoodShare box recipients access to professional culinary instruction (from the likes of Jordan Johnson of OJ’s Diner and Chef Bill Twaler of the Truist Culinary and Hospitality Innovation Center at Greenville Tech) and some entertainment. While the focus will be on the ingredients distributed in the most recent FoodShare box, any and all members of the community are invited to participate.
So, how can you get involved? If you, someone you know, or an organization you work with in the community could benefit from a FoodShare box, you can sign up or get additional information here. If you would like to donate to the cause, consider participating in Mill Village Farm’s upcoming Winter Blues Culinary Concert from the comfort of your own home on Thurs., Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. You’ll get to cook and enjoy a three-course dinner, followed by musical entertainment from Blues singer-songwriter L.C. Branch live from the Peace Center.
Looking for a more hands-on opportunity? Learn more about volunteer opportunities with Mill Village Farms here.
