New Partnership Helps Bring Local Produce to Neighbors in Need

Three local organizations are working together to put fresh, Coachella Valley-grown food on the table for neighbors who need it most.

Blue Zones Project Palm Springs helped connect the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert with Aziz Farms in Thermal, launching a new partnership that will deliver fresh, Coachella Valley-grown produce to The Center's Community Food Bank on a regular basis. It's the first time a Palm Springs food bank will regularly source produce from a Coachella Valley farm.

The Center's food bank serves more than 22,000 people each year, and organizers say fresh fruits and vegetables are often the hardest thing for food banks to keep in stock. "Food security is about more than making sure someone has enough to eat, it's about making sure they have the opportunity to thrive," said Charles Huff, The Center's director of food security. "Partnering with Aziz Farms allows us to provide produce that was grown right here in our own community while supporting local farmers whose work nourishes us all."

Aziz Farms owner Mark Tadros said the partnership gives the farm's work added meaning. "As farmers, we measure success by what we grow, but also by who we are able to feed," Tadros said. "Knowing that our produce will go directly to families and individuals in our own community gives this harvest a deeper purpose."

Tuesday marked the first delivery from Aziz Farms to the food bank, with more expected to follow as the partnership continues.