WHAT: | Media is invited to visit the Great Park Farm and Food Lab with local farmers and food banks as they celebrate the Great Park donating more than one million pounds of fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables to the Second Harvest Food Bank and Orange County Food Bank. The event will also provide visuals to promote the 19th Annual National Association of Letter Carrier's Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, the nation's largest single day food drive, on Saturday, May 14th. The million pounds of produce was donated through the Park without Borders program, a partnership with local area farmers to donate their surplus crops through the Great Park. OC Produce, operator of the 114-acre Great Park Farm, is the largest contributor. The food banks want this event to serve as a reminder that although a million pounds may seem like a lot, it is about what a food bank in Orange County uses in just a few months. For the May 14th drive, people are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag containing non-perishable foods next to their mailbox prior to the time of regular mail delivery. | |
WHO: | Beth Krom, Chair, Orange County Great Park Corporation Larry Agran, Director, Orange County Great Park Corporation A.G. Karamura, OC Produce, former California Secretary of Agriculture Mark Lowry, Director, Orange County Food Bank Jerry Creekpaum, General Manager, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County Paula Miller, National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 2168 | |
WHEN: | Thursday, May 12th 11:30 a.m. | |
WHERE: | The Orange County Great Park Farm & Food Lab Off the 5 Freeway at Sand Canyon and Marine Way in Irvine (949) 724-6574 | |
WHY: | The Park Without Borders program at the Great Park is part of an initiative to utilize the Park's resources to benefit the health and wellness of the community. Partnerships with local food banks mean that the Park's outreach with local farmers immediately benefits those in need. The Park also supports donation drives at Park events and harvests food grown within the Park to benefit food banks. The 19th Annual National Association of Letter Carrier's Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, the nation's largest single day food drive, is on Saturday, May 14th. This media event serves to both acknowledge the need in local food banks and encourage the community to donate through this drive. | |
VISUALS: | Empty delivery trucks waiting to be filled by the public. 115-acre Great Park Farm, currently planted with beans, peppers and strawberries. Great Park Farm & Food Lab, an educational garden with twelve themed plant beds. | |