The holidays are about family, friends, and, of course, food. As we prepare to gather around our kitchen tables this season, Blue Zones Project wants to make sure Fort Worth residents have the resources to prepare delicious meals with wholesome, plant-based ingredients.
So this year Blue Zones Project is creating Holiday Gratitude and Giving Bags to deliver to communities in need. Bags will be filled with a variety of fresh vegetables—things like collard greens, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, green beans, tomatoes and celery. Families will also receive cutting boards and measuring spoons, a roasted vegetable recipe, and links to online cooking demonstrations.
Holiday Gratitude and Giving Bags will be given out the week before Thanksgiving and again the week before Christmas at 30 locations across Fort Worth, including eight Blue Zones Project Good For You Pantry sites, 16 community centers, and other partner organization locations. In all, Blue Zones Project expects to serve more than 5,000 local families over the holidays.
“A lot of us take for granted that we will be able to enjoy fresh vegetables in our casseroles and side dishes along with other traditional foods during the holidays,” said Matt Dufrene, vice president of Blue Zones Project, Fort Worth. “But many of our neighbors rely on food banks, which often have to focus on shelf-stable items like canned corn and boxed stuffing. We’re hoping to fill the gap and make it easier for families to prepare meals with healthy, fresh ingredients.”
Holiday Gratitude and Giving Bags are just one way Blue Zones Project is collaborating with community partners to improve food access. Throughout the year, families can also take advantage of the Good For You Pantry program. Primarily located in selected Fort Worth ISD schools, Good For You Pantry sites offer parents the opportunity to select no-cost produce and other healthy food options like beans and rice. The pantries also offer nutritional tools and recipes for making the most of the items received. Additionally, Blue Zones Project recently introduced a Fresh Access initiative, focused exclusively on providing fresh produce to residents served by 16 Fort Worth community centers.