The Farmers To Families program serves as a part of the Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program. With this program, the USDA is able to utilize their authority under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to acquire, package, and dispense agricultural produce to families at a disadvantage.
The USDA issued a petition to suppliers to create produce boxes for non-profit organizations to be given on a regular basis. The organizations will receive and distribute the produce to families in need. The Christian Service Mission has been selected as one of those non-profits and we have partnered with Forestwood Farms.
Forestwood Farms was started in Alabama and by Everett Scott Sr. and Hazel Scott, his wife, from their home in the 1970s. They have grown from selling eggs to now being one of the largest produce distributors in Alabama. They sell fresh produce and dairy products to restaurants, schools, and military bases in the Southeast.
On May 15 we received 1200 units (24,000 lbs!) of their produce already boxed and prepared for distribution. We will continue to receive food boxes weekly, each containing potatoes, carrots, onions, apples and oranges. We will distribute these boxes to churches and organizations so they are equipped to donate them to families in need.
We are grateful for the ways that God is showing up in this season and can’t wait to see what else He is going to do.
