FIND Food Bank takes fresh food from field to community

When people think vitamin C, peppers are not necessarily the first thought, but Davidi Compton from Primetime International Fields is looking to change that.

“Not many people know this, but the vitamin C content is seven times higher than orange,” said Compton, referring to the freshly plucked peppers at the Primetime fields in the east valley.

These peppers are shipped internationally, but some of them end up at FIND Food Bank, providing nutrition for those in need. Once the peppers arrive at FIND, volunteers sort and box them up before they are delivered at distributions or given to community partners.

One of those partners, Mizell Senior Center, takes an extra step, hosting cooking classes once a month using ingredients from FIND Food Bank’s delivery.

“A lot of our senior population…have a system of supplements they take. We’re trying to get them back to a point where they can get those nutrients from their food items,” said Chef Rickie Hill from Mizell Senior Center.

Mizell hosts 500 people each week during FIND Food Bank farmers markets in Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs. Claudio D’Agostino and his mother, Natalina, say that extra food helps make ends meet on a fixed income.

“It helps on your budget, and again, you’re focusing on more healthy things to eat at home because now with this new cooking class, we can really utilize what Rickie shows us with what they’re distributing here,” said Agostino.

To find your nearest FIND Food Bank distribution, visit http://www.findfoodbank.org/ .