After services on Sunday, Feb. 21, Mayor Lenny Curry joined the Clara White Mission and the Duval County IFAS Extension Office for the city’s first Farm to Faith Produce Sale at The Bethel Church.
At the sale, citizens purchased locally grown fruits and vegetables grown at White Harvest Farms, a vocational program implemented by the Mission that serves Jacksonville’s veteran, homeless and low-income population. Local experts from the UF IFAS Extension Office were on hand to share tasty and healthy recipes.
The Bethel Church is located in an area designated as a food desert, or an area with limited access to healthy and quality food options. Statistics suggest that there are 140,000 people in over 55,000 households in Jacksonville with limited access to supermarkets, supercenters, grocery stores, or other sources of healthy and affordable food. According to the Florida Department of Health, lack of access to healthy foods may make it harder for some Americans to eat a healthy diet. The Farm to Faith Program looks to address this issue by increasing access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables for Jacksonville citizens.
Learn more about the Clara White Mission
Learn more about the UF IFAS Extension Office – Duval County
Learn more about The Bethel Church
