No More Empty Pots creates Community Harvest boxes to help families access healthy meals

Juli Oberlander • September 30, 2021

No More Empty Pots creates Community Harvest boxes to help families access healthy meals

Community Harvest box recipient Alexie poses with her 4-year-old son. Alexie and her son subscribed to Community Harvest after its relaunch in 2021 as a local food subscription service. Photos from Amy Zeller and the No More Empty Pots Facebook page

During the COVID-19 pandemic, No More Empty Pots (NMEP) has been one of the frontrunners in providing food insecure households with fresh, healthy meals.

After serving more than 9,189 individuals in 2020 with emergency food support, No More Empty Pots relaunched Community Harvest as a sustainable recurring food subscription service in 2021. Amy Zeller, communications strategy coordinator for No More Empty Pots, says the prepared meals and CSA boxes continue to be sourced locally by a network of more than 40 area producers and food artisans.

Zeller says NMEP's partnerships with local producers allow the nonprofit to bolster support of the local food system while raising awareness of food insecurity and providing families access to local food options. When NMEP relaunched Community Harvest as a local food subscription service, one of the program's first subscribers was Alexie.

"Alexie believes in the difference of local fruits and vegetables for their quality, taste and freshness," Zeller says. "She now receives a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box of local food products from No More Empty Pots every week."

While Omahans can purchase a subscription, a Community Harvest subscription is also available at no cost to qualifying households through SNAP or Mad Love sponsorship to promote equal food access. Zeller says Mad Love is the pay-it-forward initiative of No More Empty Pots that allows neighbors to support neighbors by sponsoring subscription costs.

At No More Empty Pots, Zeller says the team is committed to ensuring all families have access to fresh, healthy food.

"Whether focused on food access or teaching gardening and culinary self-sufficiency, programs at No More Empty Pots are multigenerational," she says. "Community Harvest is no exception. Thanks to Alexie, her 4-year-old son is equally excited about eating and cooking with healthy food through Community Harvest."

Alexie says her son is always eager to see the new fresh produce and recipe recommendations that are included in their CSA box each week. He especially loves to be assigned a “job” in their kitchen while helping prepare the food.

In addition, Alexie says purchasing her Community Harvest subscription through SNAP allows her to expand her household's monthly SNAP budget while empowering her with the choice to receive the food she prefers for her family.

"I love that Community Harvest is focused on community and accessibility," Alexie says. "Getting a variety of healthy foods that fit into my budget is super important to my family."

To learn more about No More Empty Pots and its Community Harvest program, visit the website and Facebook page.

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