Seeing a need in the Milwaukee Community, The Fondy Food Center has been working to make local , farm fresh food more accessible to the area since 2010. Now, U-Haul has become an addition to their already incredible routine.
“The Fondy Food Center was originally founded to support a neighborhood with little access to fresh food”, says Jennifer Casey, Director of Development and Communications. Fondy offers acres of land as well as the equipment needed for farming such as tractors, irrigation and business management to farmers who were losing access to quality and affordable land, especially to low-income, refugee and immigrant farmers. The Fondy Food Center then works to connect these farmers with local grocers, markets and wholesale opportunities. The Conservation Fund, who has a been a partner with U-Haul for nearly a decade, saw the importance of Fondy’s drive to improve fresh, local food access for across Milwaukee, but also recognized a key challenge with the group’s ability to transport large quantities of fresh food.
Up until recently, The Fondy Food Center has been using a Honda Civic as their primary delivery vehicle in transporting these fresh grown fruits and vegetables. Although there is nothing wrong with this method, Jena Thompson Meredith,Vice President of Business Partnerships at The Conservation Fund, could see that a U-Haul truck would be an alternative, “safe, clean, reliable method of transportation”. Not to mention that a U-Haul truck can fit a much larger shipment than someone’s personal vehicle. Now, The Fondy Food Center will use a moving truck as their delivery vehicle. “Having access to American markets is indispensable”, says Thompson Meredith. Without the help of The Fondy Foods Center, many farmers would not have the same connection to the Milwaukee community and to farmers markets.
We are proud that The Fondy Food Center is using one of our vehicles to help complete their mission and to be partners with The Conservation Fund. To find out more about the organizations U-Haul supports, visit our In the Community section on myuhaulstory.com.
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