DSUSD gives 3,000 students a Harvest Box with fresh produce

Desert Sands Unified School District gave over 3,000 students a Harvest Box filled with fresh, locally grown produce.

The district decided to celebrate the students' accomplishments who finished its summer school program on Thursday.

Each student at 18 elementary and six middle schools received a Harvest Box by The PackHouse at Aziz Farms, Armenta Farms, and Tudor Ranch courtesy of DSUSD's Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP).

The Harvest Box was filled with cucumbers, squash, peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, nectarines, eggplants, grapes, and celery. Recipes were also provided, along with an apron and a measuring cup.

"It's not only supplying them with nutritious products and really helping with food insecurity. But it's also really helping our economy. Our packhouse was able to continue operating through the summer a lot because of programs like this," said the owner of the PackHouse at Aziz Farms, Mark Tadros.

The district plans to continue its partnership with PackHouse to provide Harvest Boxes throughout the school year.

"They get to share it with their family. These are items that they may not even have ever heard of... And I think with the apron and the measuring cup, it's going to help encourage them to hopefully join their family in making the food," said DSUSD Director of Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, Kirsten Knapp.