Building a Resilient Food System in the time of a crisis

The MendoLake Food Hub connects local farmers and families as grocery shelves sit empty

 As many grocery shelves sit empty, the MendoLake Food Hub has redoubled its efforts to keep fresh, local, nutrient-dense food on local tables. In response to an outpouring of consumer need and interest, the Food Hub, once only available to wholesale buyers, will now sell directly to buyer’s clubs and individuals starting this coming Sunday, (March 22, 2020).

According to Caroline Radice, Manager of the Food Hub, “Never before has our work been so important. In times like these — when uncertainty upsets the daily rhythms and health of our communities - we are called to deliver on that call to action. We have a long history of rallying during times of crisis and coming together as a community. Just today at the Food Hub we talked to a 73 old with health issues who was excited to receive a delivery of fresh produce to her door so she didn’t have to go out to ‘face the palpable stress & craziness of going out for groceries’.”

The Food Hub is open twice a week for orders, Sundays (for Tuesday delivery) and Wednesdays (for Friday delivery). This Sunday, (March 22, 2020), will be the first sales cycle open to the general public. There is a $35 minimum order for deliveries within the City of Ukiah or $65 minimum for other areas. For other areas or for any additional questions, please contact the Food Hub directly by calling the office at (707) 467-3238. In addition to the nutrient-dense, local, fresh produce that the Food Hub is known for, a variety of items, such as; whole wheat flour, rice, eggs, bread, olive oil, walnuts, spices and much more are available for purchase. Please visit www.mendolakefoodhub.com on a sales day to see the full offering.

“The Food Hub provides an essential service connecting our neighbors to healthy, local produce grown in their proverbial backyard. As folks stock their pantries and fridges with food purchased through the Food Hub, they are also supporting our local economy. Local farmers need our support. They are feeling the economic hit of their regular customers -restaurants, schools and businesses- shuttering their doors. I encourage everyone to purchase one item on their shopping list locally in a show of solidarity with our farming community in this trying time.” says Ms. Radice.

The MendoLake Food Hub encourages all those interested in purchasing local food to visit their website every Sunday and Monday and to visit their site frequently as new items are added regularly.

About the MendoLake Food Hub

Thanks to grant funding from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the MendoLake Food Hub started operating in 2015 as a program of North Coast Opportunities with the mission of increasing the economic viability of local farms and increasing local food access in our community. They do this by providing farmers access to a shared sales and distribution network which serves wholesale buyers like grocery stores, schools, and restaurants (and now buyer’s clubs and individuals in feasible delivery locations). All of their farmers are Certified Producers. This means that they grow what they sell, and they’re Approved Sources, so they follow stringent food safety practices.

Contact the Food Hub sales team at orders@mendolakefoodhub.com or (707) 467-3238. Please note that the Food Hub staff is working remotely and that it could take 24-48 hours to return messages.

[This archive item was originally published on Friday, March 20, 2020]