From AmigosNAZ staff reports
FLAGSTAFF — Organizers report that the Market on the Move event scheduled for Wednesday, April 15 has been canceled.
The event was canceled because the group was not able to secure enough produce. The May event are still tentatively scheduled.
Market on the Move is a farmer’s market-style program where community members can get up to 60 pounds of fresh produce for a $15 donation.
The program is sponsored by Native Americans for Community Action, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff and Hermosa Vida.
The program was started in 2010 as part of the Phoenix-based 3000 Club, a nonprofit organization. Most of the food, about 70 percent, comes from Nogales, Mexico and usually goes to produce brokers who distribute it to local supermarkets. Produce that is rejected because it is not the right shape or is out of demand is usually sent to the landfill. Instead, the rescued produce is loaded on semi trucks and has been distributed to residents in the greater Tucson and Phoenix areas at local churches and other business and community locations.
Organizers report the program rescues more than 30 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables from going to waste each year, helps distribute produce to more than 460,000 families in need, feeds nutritional fruits and vegetables to about 920,000 children and helps prevent diabetes.
Contact Roxana De Nix at rdeniz@nchaz.org for more information.