Jun 29, 2020

DiMare Fresh OK’d for second round of USDA Farmers to Families program

Dimare Fresh, a value-added produce and floral distribution company, has been approved for a second round of funding by the USDA for the “Farmers to Families Food Box” program.

The initial round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program contracts will be completed on June 30, and the USDA has announced it will be extending contracts to some well performing contractors, such as DiMare Fresh, through the next performance period of July 1-Aug. 31.

“As a family-owned business that’s over 90-years-old, and as farmers ourselves – we are appreciative to be involved with the USDA and this very worthy, and much needed, Farmers to Families Food Box Program,” Tony DiMare, an owner at DiMare Fresh, said in a  news release. “We would like to thank our suppliers in the farming and shipping communities, as well as our people who have stayed committed and have been working non-stop since day one delivering the boxes. We also extend our gratitude to the non-profit organizations and their mostly volunteer staff for distributing the boxes within the communities.”

Since May 15, DiMare Fresh has packed and delivered 1,434,000 million boxes, at over 27,246,000 million pounds. By June 30, DiMare Fresh will have supplied food boxes to over 225 individual non-profit organizations and food banks. While delivering primarily in the state of Texas, the company has also made deliveries in four additional states in the Southwest region. The goal with the next round of funding will be to continue to keep the existing non-profit organizations supplied, add new groups to begin receiving product and enter additional states in the Southwest region.

“Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the need for food assistance has increased drastically and the Houston Food Bank has ramped up its distribution significantly,” said Brian Greene, president/CEO of the Houston Food Bank. “As we work to provide a steady flow of nutritious, healthy food to our communities, this support from DiMare Fresh is absolutely crucial. We are grateful to be able to count DiMare Fresh as a partner in addressing hunger and food insecurity in Texas and nationwide.”

DiMare Fresh will continue to utilize its long-standing relationships with local and regional food banks and other nonprofits, such as the Houston Food Bank, North Texas Food Bank, Community Table and Brighter Bites. This second round of funding will continue to allow DiMare Fresh to expand to other hunger relief organizations and operations working to provide those in need with fresh food.

“The recent USDA Farm to Table Program has proven to be a real cooperative winner between the government, produce growers, produce distributors, ministries, and churches,” said Bryan Herr, vice president of Creative Outreach Ministries in Conroe, Texas. “Having previously been in the produce business for thirty years, I know how much work is involved in securing, packing, and delivering millions of pounds of product to folks in need. DiMare Fresh has done an excellent job providing high-quality product in a timely and efficient manner. By working together, an untold amount of people in need got access to fresh, nutritious produce in a time of great hardship. Congratulations to all involved for a job well done.”

On April 17, 2020, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to assist farmers, ranchers, and consumers in response to the COVID-19 national emergency. In response, AMS developed the Farmers to Families Food Box Program and partnered with national, regional and local suppliers, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of restaurants, hotels and other food service businesses. Suppliers package food products into family-sized boxes and then transport them to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.

For additional information and company updates, please visit www.dimarefresh.com. Regular updates to the number of food boxes distributed will be posted on USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) website.

DiMare Fresh is a provider of value-added distribution services in the form of repacking, ripening, consolidation and delivery of refrigerated food, specializing in produce and floral. We are proud of the DiMare name and reputation of integrity that was originally built as a tomato grower and re-packer and is now expanded through our service and distribution network.