Thanks to a season-long initiative at the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market, your neighbors in need were able to receive fresh fruits and vegetables that might have otherwise gone unused.

Destination Sturgeon Bay’s Andrea Buboltz Hanson, United Way of Door County’s Stephanie Short, and UW-Green Bay dietetic intern Kendra Dantoin collaborated with the UW-Extension’s FoodWIse program to develop the gleaning project, which diverted unsold produce from the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market to Lakeshore CAP Food Pantry to be distributed to community members with limited income. Each week, one to six vendors donated to the cause, which on average brought in approximately 46 pounds per week. Destination Sturgeon Bay Executive Director Cameryn Ehlers-Kwaterski says the initiative helped everyone involved.

Even more produce could be collected over the market’s final two weeks. You can hear more about the program as a part of this week’s Faces of the Farmers Market Podcast with Destination Sturgeon Bay.