Adopt-a-Box, Feeding Miami-Dade Families in Need

Funds donated to Redland Ahead will be used to support local farms by purchasing their fruits & vegetables to create a family-sized 20lb box of produce, passed out each Saturday free of charge to families in need. Every $25 raised builds a box.

Boxes will be safely packed with the Taste of Redland team at Unity Groves, a PRIMUS certified facility, and distributed by Redland Ahead. Visit us on Facebook  and  Instagram  for program information.

-------------------------------------------
HELP SUPPORT THE MIAMI-DADE FARMING COMMUNITY
AND FAMILIES IN NEED

In an effort to assist Florida’s agricultural communities to financially survive one of their most challenging times in history, and at the same time feed South Florida Families who are in need, a consortium of various groups has come together to support a program titled Adopt-a-Box. Boxes will be filled with a variety of local Redland-Raised and Fresh from Florida fruits and vegetables and distributed free to the public.

Redland Ahead, a non-profit farming operation that trains veterans and underserved communities to become farmers with the support of FIU, has teamed up with Unity Groves and their Taste of Redland team, one of Miami-Dade County’s largest packing houses and growers—to support local agriculture and the community during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Funds will be used to support local farms by purchasing their fruits & vegetables to create a family-sized 20lb box of produce, passed out each Saturday free of charge to families in need. 

Every $25 raised builds a box.
Boxes will be safely packed with the Taste of Redland team at Unity Groves, a PRIMUS certified facility, and distributed by Redland Ahead.
Please note that we cannot sell individual boxes; this program is designed to raise funds to donate food to those in need. 






“The state’s agricultural industry is suffering greatly due to this Coronavirus pandemic. Our solution feeds the hungry and helps the farms at the same time,” said Redland Ahead’s CEO and President, John Mills. “Established public behaviors have changed. Consumers have shown they would rather receive fresh produce from local farms. By working with Unity Groves, our model goes above and beyond what is expected by providing quality produce to the public from a certified packing facility that is inspected with highest standards. We need to get creative during this crisis in our nation and reinvent the way we do business. This model supports the local agricultural community, families in need at a crucial time, and does its part to support our efforts at Redland Ahead to train veterans and underserved communities to become farmers.” 

Louie Carricarte of Unity Groves stated, “The Adopt-a-Box program is a team effort designed to keep the wheels of agriculture in our community turning and supply families in need with some of our amazing locally grown produce. Once the wheels stop for some of the farms and associated businesses, it is very difficult or nearly impossible to get them started again. This plan adds a piece to help maintain production in the fields, get checks immediately into the hands of farmers to pay for their crops, assist with keeping their operations intact, prevent waste, maintain food security and provide boxes of produce at no charge to people around the county at a time when they need it most.”

“We ask that the entire community rally around our Redland and Florida farmers and the Adopt-a-Box program. The more money raised, the more boxes go out into the community and the more farms we can invite to participate. It’s a solid solution to get locally grown food into the hands of folks in the community who are out of work or in need—while keeping the farms and businesses that support the food services industry functioning and employed. It’s a win for everyone involved,” said Michael Huter, of Unity Groves’ Taste of Redland team.

First deliveries of this program are made possible with the generous financial support of Redland Ahead, Unity Groves, Taste of Redland and the Hemispheric Commerce Coalition.
Supporting organizations of the Adopt-a-Box program include: the Dade County Farm Bureau, Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, the South Dade Chamber of Commerce, FIU-Florida International University, the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and the Greater Miami Visitors and Convention Bureau.



“It has been an honor to work alongside these creative minds to assist in the development of programs that will not only help our local farming community, but those communities in need as well,” said Tyra Phillips, Executive Director of Dade County Farm Bureau. 

“Florida International University (FIU) deeply cares about the success of all farmers and is very proud of the veteran, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers support to this effort.  I am glad that this program directly helps farmers access this innovative local food distribution system,” said Dr. Kenneth Furton, Provost of FIU.


###

Redland Ahead  is a non-profit organization formed to work in unison with Florida International University, to provide support to FIU’s Agro-Ecology program in South Florida and assist in training underserved populations and Veterans to become farmers and explore careers in Agri-business. Redland Ahead also manages the Redland Community Farm & Market.

Unity Groves  and Taste of Redland  encompass over 2000 acres and work with over 200 farms annually. Together they encourage Floridians to purchase Redland-raised and Fresh from Florida produce whenever possible. Unity Groves is a full-service packing house with facilities that are Primus Certified annually (fields and facility), meet all standards of FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act), GHP certified (Good Handling Practices) and other federal regulations. Taste of Redland promotes a variety of agritourism events to educate the public about supporting our local farmers and joining the Locavore movement. Merriam Webster defines Locavore as one who eats food grown locally whenever possible.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @adoptaboxfl