With nutritious meals essential to a healthy life, the Auen Foundation is providing a $50,000 grant to FIND Food Bank in support of its signature program, Project Produce. The program provides fresh fruits and vegetables to local residents in need of food assistance.

“This generous gift will help deliver healthy, nutritious fruits and vegetables to our area’s seniors and others in need,” said Lisa Houston, President and CEO of FIND (Food in Need of Distribution). “Food security is essential to a person’s physical and mental health.”

The Auen Foundation gift will provide approximately 416,000 pounds of fresh produce throughout 2016. Through Project Produce, FIND supports partners that serve our senior residents via free farmers’ markets that encourage participants to make their own healthy selections. “Not worrying about where a next meal will come from allows people to focus on other important aspects of life, and means they will not have to choose between buying medication or healthy food,” said Sherrie Auen, Program Director of the Auen Foundation.

Project Produce also ensures that at least half of the food distributed through FIND is in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables. “Healthy food, including fresh produce, comes at a significant cost,” said Houston. “That’s why community support, like that of the Auen Foundation, is so important.”

Seniors in need of assistance in obtaining fresh fruits and vegetables should call FIND Food Bank at (760) 775-3663 for more information on distributions or events near them. The following organizations are examples of distributions that serve seniors across the Coachella Valley:

Food Now
14-080 Palm Drive, Suite E, DHS
Distributions: Tues, Wed + Thurs:
9 am – 12 pm
Mike Russell; Pre-registration Required
(760) 329-4100

The Center in Palm Springs
610 S. Belardo, Palm Springs
Distributions: Every Thurs: 6 – 8 pm
Bill Woods; Pre-registration Required
(760) 416-7790

Palm Desert Oasis Church
74-200 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert
Distributions: Every Sat: 7:30 – 8:30 am
Mary Go; Pre-registration Required
(760) 568-0809

St. Elizabeth’s Pantry
66-700 Pierson Blvd, DHS
Distributions: 1st, 2nd & 3rd Tues./month: 8:30 – 10:30 am
(AND) 4th Mon./month: 4 – 7 pm
Teresa Sanchez (760) 329-8794

Iglesia Tercer Cielo
82-025 Bliss Ave, Indio
Distributions: 2nd & 4th Fri./month: 5–7pm
(760) 775-3663 for more information,
including other distributions in Indio.

Temple Sinai
Distributions to homebound clients within service area.
(760) 775-3663 for more information.

For more information about FIND Food Bank and Project Produce, visit FINDFoodBank.org or call (760) 775-3663.