No-Cost Produce Market Continues to Help the Community

This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette .

STATE COLLEGE — Fresh produce is an important part of everyone’s diet. The State College Food Bank offers a No-Cost Produce Market for the Centre County community, providing fresh produce to people who cannot afford it.

The market, started four years ago by the State College Food Bank, occurs at the Nittany Mall. Four events have already taken place this summer, and will take place again on:

• Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024
• Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024
• Tuesday, Sept 10, 2024
• Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024

The idea for the market came about during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the community saw an influx of people facing issues around food insecurity.

“We wanted to make sure fresh nutritious produce — you know, healthy foods — were readily accessible to those that were struggling to meet their food budget needs,” said Heather Lee, business manager at the State College Food Bank.

When the organization started planning for the No-Cost Produce Market, its main goal after figuring out the business side was talking with local farmers and finding volunteers. It worked closely with volunteers who were already involved at the food bank and in the Rotary Club.

The Rotary Club is an international service organization that works on promoting human rights. Being in the Rotary Club is not a requirement to volunteer at the State College Food Bank or the No-Cost Produce Market.

To volunteer, contact the State College Food Bank. More information can be found at scfoodbank.org .

“Each year that we have held the market we see more and more groups get involved,” Lee said. “From banks to Penn State groups to even just individual groups that kind of volunteer to help out.”

The State College Food Bank purchases produce for the market from local farmers. They allocate a part of their budget, along with grant funding, to purchase the produce.

“You could make a really good solid living as a farmer, but sometimes it can be a struggle and we didn’t want to add any extra burden to anyone,” Lee said.

With the help of local farmers and volunteers, the market has been able to expand over the past four years. During the first year, the food bank held three No-Cost Produce Markets. Now, it has planned eight events between June and September.

The State College Food Bank receives its donations from Ardy Farms, Green Heron Farm, The Central PA Produce Cooperative and Think We, Not Me.

Ardy Frms and Green Heron Farm are both located in Pennsylvania. Ardy Farms was established in 1933 and Green Heron Farm was established in 1984.

The Central PA Produce Cooperative is a group of between seven and eight farmers that grow produce. Think We, Not Me was started in 2008 by two garden-trained officials and grows produce to donate to different food banks.

“We were really just kind of testing the waters to see how things would be received by the community, and we quickly realized that it was very well received and obviously filling a need that was present in our community,” Lee said.

The No-Cost Produce Market is held every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m. Produce is distributed until 6 p.m. or until produce runs out.

“We’re just really lucky to be in such a wonderful community. We have great resources, whether that’s the financial resources that help us purchase produce or the amazing local produce that’s available to us to purchase and share with people,” Lee said.

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