“I cooked some of those up last week and they were so good,” said Effie Reed, 62, as she pointed to a bag of green beans at the West 40 Heart 2 Heart Food Mart in west suburban Westchester. “The produce here is excellent – nice and fresh.”
For Reed, who works two jobs and visits the pantry to help make ends meet, the produce isn’t just a delicious addition to her meals, it’s a vital support to her health. When she was diagnosed as pre-diabetic a few years ago, she decided to make some lifestyle changes.
Effie Reed shops at West 40 Heart 2 Heart Food Mart to help support her health. Photo by Lou Foglia for the Food Depository.
“I refuse not to be here for my grandbabies,” she said, adding that through exercise and healthy eating habits, she’s lost more than 50 pounds. Given the high cost of fresh produce, Reed said she is grateful for the fruits and vegetables she’s able to select at the pantry.
Prioritizing health
In support of our mission to end hunger, the Food Depository offers a robust selection of fresh produce to our hundreds of partner pantries, like Heart 2 Heart, and the people they serve. For more than a decade, fresh produce has accounted for at least 30 percent of the food we provide, rising each year with the overall volume of food we distribute – from 25.4 million pounds of produce in fiscal year 2018 to 38.8 million pounds in fiscal year 2024.
Sandra Storino (left) enjoys the fresh produce available at Pan de Vida Food Pantry in Archer Heights. Photo by Lou Foglia for the Food Depository.
We receive about 25 percent of our produce from government programs, another 25 percent from farm and food industry donations, and we purchase the rest thanks to support from our generous donors. To keep this food fresh for our neighbors, we have increased the number of refrigerated trucks in our delivery fleet and helped our partners increase their cold storage capacity.
The Food Depository prioritizes fresh produce as part of a strategy to ensure healthy, nourishing food for our neighbors. “Access to fresh fruits and vegetables is crucial to our neighbors’ health,” said Elizabeth Deavilla, registered dietician nutritionist at the Food Depository.
Lismarys Santiago especially appreciates the fresh fruit she selects for herself and her household at New Hope Bible Church food pantry in Hermosa. Photo by Nancy Stone for the Food Depository.
“Fresh fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals and fiber that support immune function, digestion and heart health. They reduce the risk of chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension while improving energy levels and overall well-being.”
Quality and abundance
Lisa Recchia, 36, was surprised by the abundance of fruits and vegetables at Heart 2 Heart Food Mart on her first visit. Her husband works as an account manager while she stays home to care for their 7-year-old daughter, who will be joined by a baby brother or sister this fall.
Tracey Campion carries some vegetables as she exits Above and Beyond Free Food Pantry in West Garfield Park. Photo by Abel Uribe for the Food Depository.
Recchia visits the pantry to help make ends meet as her family copes with “the rising cost of literally everything,” she said. She appreciates the ability to eat healthily during her pregnancy and to get fruit, one of her daughter’s favorite foods, which she says is getting more challenging to afford as grocery prices remain high.
Tracey Campion loves the fresh produce she gets at Above and Beyond Free Food Pantry in West Garfield Park. She’s trying to eat healthier and likes to make fruit smoothies. Campions says there aren’t many grocery stores in her neighborhood, and the corner stores don’t carry much fresh produce. Reaching for some celery, she said, “This is meeting a need.”
Joseph Owsiak shops for himself and his 8-year-old daughter. Photo by Lou Foglia for the Food Depository.
Joseph Owsiak, 27, visits Heart 2 Heart pantry to get food for himself and his 8-year-old daughter. Owsiak works as a sous chef at a local university, so he cares deeply about the food his family eats. “The produce here is really good,” he said. “The Food Depository always maintains a high standard in the food they provide. I’m so grateful.”
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