Free Store sets next food distribution

Scores of households expected to benefit

Free Store Wilkinsburg has partnered with the Greater Pittsburgh CommunityFood Bank to offer a free monthly produce distribution through November to those living in Wilkinsburg or Pittsburgh’s East End neighborhoods.

The next distribution is set for 4 to 6 p.m. Friday in the Wallace Avenue parking lot at 719 Wallace Ave. behind the Penn Avenue Parklet.

The first distribution in late June served nearly 194 households, equating to about 300 people. Nearly 250 households are expected to participate in Friday’s distribution.

Free Store Wilkinsburg has been operating since 2015 under the umbrella of Civically Inc., a non-profit community outreach organization founded by Wilkinsburg Mayor Marita Garrett.

The store is open every Saturday for people to “shop” for free items and serves around 600 people per month. The food distributionis new this year.

“The need for a fresh produce distribution is crucial in Wilkinsburg,” said Beverly Garrett, operations coordinator at Free Store Wilkinsburg.

“Wilkinsburg is a food desert, which means we don’t have adequate access to healthy foods and produce within the community, especially for those individuals and families who are at, or below, the poverty line and without transportation,” Ms.Garrett said.

While other neighborhood organizations host food pantries, Ms. Garrett said perishable items such as fresh fruits and vegetables cannot be stored. Free Store Wilkinsburg partnering with the Food Bank “helps to fill that gap,” she said.

Ms. Garrett added the distribution will not only provide nutritional food, but will offer education on the importance of health-conscious meal preparation and how it canbe done on a budget.

The Food Bank determines how much food families can take, but Ms. Garrett said families can expect to be able to get between 30 and 40 poundsof food each month.

Food selection will vary with each distribution depending on what the Food Bank has available. At the first distribution the selection included corn, onions, asparagus, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peppers, zucchiniand cartons of juice.

“We expect to get a better selection of more common typesof fruits and vegetables such as apples, bananas, oranges, potatoes, lettuce and tomatoes going forward,”Ms. Garrett said.

The requirements for the free produce are either 150 percent of the federal poverty level or need. No pre-registration or identification is needed, she said. Those wanting to participate can register on site and need to provide general information such as name and number of household members. No income verificationis required.

Nextmonth’s produce distribution will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Aug. 24 in the same location. Future distribution dates will be Sept. 28, Oct.26 and Nov. 16.

Free Store Wilkinsburg is located at 619 Penn Ave. and is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. everySaturday.

Donations are accepted from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays. Further information on the store and the donations it accepts can be found at https://www.freestorewilkinsburg.org or https://www.facebook. FreeStoreWilkinsburg/