ONTARIO, CANADA - December is very much so the season of giving. In partnership with the Toronto Wholesale Produce Association (TWPA), the Ontario Produce Marketing Association (OPMA) distributed over 1,200 boxes of 18 kg (39.6 lbs) of fresh produce to people in need across Ontario.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused greater food insecurity, so we are pleased to be able to continue the initiative this year. The hampers, which will be delivered to food banks across Ontario, contain enough fruit, nuts, and vegetables for a family of two adults and two children for an entire week,” remarked Michelle Broom, OPMA President.

How was this made possible? According to a press release, through a combination of rented equipment, the donated services of a Northern Ontario grower, a province-wide wholesale produce distributor, and a team of packing volunteers.

The produce hampers were delivered to 15 different organizations including a First Nations Community, which is located 1,150 kilometers north of Toronto.

“This year, we were able to overcome one of the program’s biggest challenges, which has been collecting and storing over 1,000 empty banana boxes to pack the produce hampers. We are happy to say that for the first time, we have boxes specifically designed for this purpose, thanks to the team at Cascades,” said Fred Koornneef, TWPA President.

Since 1990, more than 30,000 Ontario families have benefited from the OPMA/TWPA Christmas Foodshare.

We love to see those in the industry giving back. Happy Holidays!

Ontario Produce Marketing Association Toronto Wholesale Produce Association