74
Spirituality
March 1 – 14, 2014
www.SanTanSun.com
Desert Palms pairs with Market on the Move to offer discounted produce BY MEGHAN MCCOY
Desert Palms Church sees the importance of having a balanced diet. So three years ago, it latched onto a fledgling program called Market on the Move, which was founded to save produce from being thrown away in Arizona. Market on the Move is held on the second Saturday of each month from December through May in the church parking lot at 4265 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler. The next one is Saturday, March 8. Volunteers arrive at the church to start setting up tables to display the produce around 6:30 a.m. for the 7:30 a.m. opening. Organizer Orris Anson says during the winter months the market runs until 11 a.m., and in April and May it closes at 10 a.m. due to the heat. The day before the produce is delivered, Anson learns what is included in the inventory. To enhance the program, he displays recipes for the produce his customers will receive. Participants receive items such as green beans, eggplant, bell peppers, winter and summer squash, watermelon, honeydew, tomatoes and potatoes. On occasion, they also receive citrus. Whatever does not sell is returned to the 3000 Club, which, in turn, donates the items to food banks. Spoiled produce is delivered to pig
PRODUCE: Desert Palms Church holds a Market on the Move on the second Saturday of every month, providing individuals with the opportunity to purchase 60 pounds of produce for a $10 donation. Submitted photo
farms. Recently, the church received 14 pallets of produce in a month and had roughly 300 recipients. There is a ton of produce on each pallet. “We have a reasonable number of new people every month,” Anson says. “We give them boxes and bags and they load up and go home. We generally have people pick up 40 to 60 percent of what we have available.” Those who donate $10 can collect up to 60 pounds of produce.
SUNDAY WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Sunday Mornings Traditional Worship
7:30 & 11:30 A.M.
Contemporary Worship 8:50 & 10:10 A.M. Sunday School
Sunday Evenings CORE (6th - 8th Grade)
6:00 P.M.
High School Youth Group 6:00 P.M.
8:50 & 10:10 A.M.
Adult Forum Bible Study 8:50 A.M.
RISEN SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH & SCHOOL 23914 S. Alma School Road, Chandler, AZ 85248 SW CORNER OF ALMA SCHOOL & CHANDLER HEIGHTS ROADS
Phone: 480-895-6782 • Email: info@RSLCS.org • Website: www.RSLCS.org
Financially struggling folks are still allowed to pick up produce. “We are doing the best we can to get the word out,” he says.
Inception of program Market on the Move founder Lon Taylor says 5 billion pounds of produce cross the border from Mexico to Arizona annually from November until May. Brokers send the produce to grocery stores throughout the United States.
“Seventy-five percent of winter produce comes from Mexico,” he explains. Weather can sometimes upset the operation, as can the produce’s size or color. In those situations, the items are tossed in the trash. “They used to throw it away to let the new come in,” he says. In 1994, Taylor approached brokers and asked them not to throw the produce away. The food was then donated to Nogales, Ariz., food banks. Four years ago, the Taylor-formed 3000 Club took over the “whole rescue operation.” The 3000 Club was created by 3,000 supporters, each of whom donated $100 to kick-start the operating budget. There is now a warehouse in Nogales to store the produce. Now the operation moves nearly 30 million pounds of produce to 50 agencies, churches and nonprofits in the United States. “I think it’s one of the best programs we came up with the last few years...neighbors helping neighbors,” Taylor says. “People love having the opportunity to get produce and help those they think are in need.” Meghan McCoy is the Neighbors and Business section editor for the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at meghan@santansun.com.