Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County oversees the program, which is funded by the USDA And New York State Department of Agriculture and markets “New York Food for New York Families” initiative.
Launched on June 12, the program partners with several food access and community organizations to deliver local, fresh produce and groceries directly to community members at no cost.
Distributions are made weekly in Jamestown Mobile Market, Chautauqua County Rural Departments; Ripley Public Library; and in cooperation with Office for Seniors‘s Local Roots program.
Farmers and food producers will be compensated for all produce at full market value. The produce will then be distributed in designated “food-stressed” areas, or parts of the county where people have difficulty accessing fresh, local produce due to transportation barriers, cost, or factors such as age or race.
The Grow Chautauqua program has also been expanded since last week and now offers 50 boxes for bi-weekly distribution Baptist Church of Friendship in Dunkirk.
All community members are welcome to receive a Grow Chautauqua box weekly. There are no cost, identification or income requirements.
The boxes will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and can be found at:
– Jamestown Mobile Market, various locations, Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For information, visit: https://www.jtownpublicmarket.org/mobile-market
– Friendship Baptist Church, E Second St., Wednesdays 11 a.m. to close.
– Chautauqua County Rural Ministries, Washington Ave., Wednesdays from 12:30 p.m. until closing.
– Ripley Public Library, Main Street, Saturdays, 11 a.m. to closing.
Farmers or food producers interested in participating in the program can contact the Community Food System Coordinator Linnea Haskin at 716-664-9502, extension 210.
Community members can also find more information about all farms participating in the program by visiting the Chautauqua Grown map at https://chautauqua.cce.cornell.edu/.
