New York Supplier of Bloom Fresh Produce Supports Local Community

Bloom Fresh, the consumer brand from domestic and international produce sourcing specialist, S. Katzman Produce and Katzman Berry Corp., has been making a difference in New York City by teaming up with both Easter Seals of New York and #HashtagLunchbag to provide fresh produce and monetary support benefiting the local community.  

Over the past five years, the company has donated approximately 60,000 pounds of fresh produce for weekly outreach programs and via larger holiday events and Veteran’s programs that have impacted tens of thousands of New Yorkers in need. Through Easter Seals of New York, Bloom Fresh delivers fresh fruits and vegetables each week to the Bronx Child Development Center to not only provide more healthy nutrients to children during lunch, but also for the children to take home to their families.

“Our experience with Easter Seals has been nothing short of amazing. We helped open up a second classroom at the Bronx School for early intervention to provide disabled children with the right kind of care and learning experiences where they can thrive,” says Stefanie Katzman. “But we wanted to go beyond providing monetary donations, and we saw a great opportunity to provide nutritious meals to the children through the delivery of fresh produce to the classroom. We know that healthy food is critical to healthy development.”

But Easter Seals of New York isn’t the only place that Bloom Fresh Produce finds to help out. Dubbed #HashtagLunchbag, is a grassroots movement that gathers people together to pack lunches and pass them out to those in need in local neighborhoods. On a monthly basis, Bloom Fresh provides monetary support, as well as fruit and vegetables for over 2,000 lunch bags that are distributed to the hungry and homeless. #HashtagLunchbag is both an online and offline social movement that unites communities through social media via Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to raise awareness and provide collaboration to make a difference. Started in Los Angeles in 2012, this social media-driven charity has since spread across North America from California to Chicago, New York and Toronto. 

"We are dedicated to helping the communities where we do business. We want to make a difference and provide healthy food options where they aren’t available and show that healthy foods aren’t only for those that can afford them," says Dijana Ilieva, brand manager.  

Beyond monetary and product support Bloom Fresh employees are invited to volunteer and be part of the weekly deliveries to the Bronx Child Development Center and to assist with prepping food for the monthly #HashtagLunchbag program. Ilieva adds, “Having our employees involved in our charitable programs further solidifies our commitment to the community and the power of what we can do with healthy food like fruits and vegetables."