Footprint Farms ‘drive-up’ service safely delivers healthy foods to families

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A Jackson-based farm is expanding its reach and making sure metro-area families still have access to healthy meals during the coronavirus pandemic.

Visitors to the Mississippi Farmers Market may usually see Footprint Farms there on the weekend, but Footprint Farms CEO Cindy Ayers has implemented a ‘drive-up’ food box service at her farm to safely get nutritious foods to residents.

Footprint Farms is also partnering with the Jackson Public Schools Foundation to help supply food boxes to JPS families.

“We have a lot of food and vegetables here,” Ayers said. “We want to get it to the community; we want to be able to do as much as we can to help at this time and every time. Our mission is to bring healthy, affordable food to our community and our city.”

Ayers assured customers the entire process is safe; from the packing of the food boxes, to how they load it into your vehicle while following the proper social distancing guidelines.

The food boxes include:

A choice of 2 of the following: Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, Collard Greens, Cabbage, Swiss Chard, Traditional Kale or Dinosaur Kale
Onions
Carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Red Potatoes
Tomatoes

A 7-pound box of produce is available for $15 and a 15-pound box is available for $30.

The drive-up service is available from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Customers must place their order in advance and text their request to 601-668-5583 by 7 p.m. the night before distribution day.

Footprint Farms accepts cash, SNAP cards, credit, debit and cash app $footprintfarms.

The coronavirus pandemic has also affected business for area farmers and they are working together to help each other stay afloat.

“We’re still working with other farmers that are close by to be able to filter food in,” Ayers said. “They, too, want to continue to make money to live and of course food is so important. Hopefully, this will make people realize how important the earth, the soil, and the farmers are. Let me just say to all farmers, keep farming. It makes a difference. We make a difference, farmers are important and you can see that in the regional system here.”

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