The expanded Leamington Regional Food Hub is helping to rescue thousands of pounds of produce and ship it to food banks throughout Ontario.
The facility, operated by the UHC – Hub of Opportunities, now has the ability to take rescued food from growers and then wash, chop, and package it into family-sized hampers to be distributed.
"We have turned a warehouse into a production facility, for freezing and for fresh produce. And for non-perishables for shipping in bulk as well. We've really expanded this thing by about five or six times," Director Vern Toews.
Most of the work is completed by around 90 volunteers who work in the facility.
"We have trucks on the road that pick it up from multiple farm organizations in Leamington and then we have six partners that we service with fresh produce," said Toews.
The produce, like tomatoes, pepper and cucumbers, from the Leamington area goes to food banks in Windsor-Essex, the Greater Toronto Area, and Northern Ontario.
The expansion of the facility was paid for through grants from the federal and provincial governments. The food hub located on Talbot Street in Leamington officially opened on Thursday.
