DECEMBER 31, 2013
Arizona’s food banks want your citrus donations beginning January 2
PHOENIX – Are your citrus trees starting to fill up with fruit? It’s not a problem – Arizona’s food banks want your citrus donations! Food banks continue to respond to record levels of demand, and your citrus donations help supplement food boxes with fresh, healthy food. In addition, donated citrus can be juiced to ensure a longer shelf life. Donate your excess citrus, free of stems and leaves, from your personal and neighborhood trees beginning January 2. Contact a food bank near you for details:
St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, Metro Phoenix & Flagstaff: Call 602-343-5658 or visit www.firstfoodbank.org. You can also drop off your citrus donations during St. Mary’s fifth annual Super Citrus Saturday on January 25. Get more information and a list of locations at www.firstfoodbank.org/news/.
Foothills Food Bank, Cave Creek: Call 480-488-1145 or visit www.foothillsfoodbank.com
Always call in advance to make sure they will accept your citrus donations.
If you are interested in having your trees gleaned, or volunteering to help glean trees, contact your nearest food bank for details beginning January 2. Please note that some food banks do not have the resources to come to your home to glean your trees, and if they do, it is usually on a first-come-first serve basis and there may be a fee. Please contact your local food bank to inquire about that food bank’s specific gleaning policies and for more information about dropping-off citrus donations.
Arizona remains under USDA quarantine due to Sweet Orange Scab (more information: www.citrusresearch.org/sweet-orange-scab). Affected citrus is still good to eat and juice since Sweet Orange Scab only affects how the citrus looks, not how it tastes or its nutritional value. Arizona’s food banks still want your citrus donations!
Established in 1984, the Association of Arizona Food Banks is a private, non-profit organization serving five-member regional food banks (Community Food Bank, Desert Mission Food Bank, St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, United Food Bank, Yuma Community Food Bank) and a network of nearly 1,700 food pantries and agencies. As one of the first state associations in the nation and an inaugural partner state association of Feeding America, AAFB was instrumental in the development of a statewide gleaning project, and our advocacy efforts have brought about beneficial state and federal legislation for our member food banks and the people they serve.
For more information, to find a food bank or pantry in your area, or to learn more about donation and volunteer opportunities, please visit www.azfoodbanks.org.
