OUR PROCESS
IDENTIFYING FAMILIES
All of our current recipient families are patients of Pediatric Associates of Auburn. Our families are identified through the great patient relationships with nurses and pediatricians at Pediatric Associates of Auburn who have witnessed a need in these homes. Once a need is identified by the medical staff, a family is approached and asked if they are interested in joining the Nourish, AL program. Families have cycled in and out based on need and we are always looking for new families as capacity and availability allow.
PICKING
Beth Hornsby heads up our produce operations in order to ensure a balanced and full basket each week. Each week 8-10 produce items are obtained from Hornsby Farms, Parkway Farmers Market, and other farm partners all throughout Alabama depending on season and availability. Our partnerships locally and across the region allow us to provide produce for our families that is diverse and ever-changing. While Nourish, AL is housed out of Hornsby Farms, they only grow certain crops so these partnerships allow relationships to be formed with farms across the state and Nourish to provide a well-rounded weekly basket.
PACKING
Every Friday morning the Nourish, AL baskets are packed up at Hornsby Farms. We ensure that the produce is divided equally and that each bag has a balanced mixture of fruit and vegetables. The bags are then transported from Hornsby Farms to Pediatric Associates of Auburn where they await our volunteer drivers.
DELIVERING
Our volunteer drivers consist of local volunteers, medical students from Auburn’s VCOM campus, and the founders themselves. The baskets are usually ready for pickup from Pediatric Associates of Auburn around 11am and are then delivered in early to late afternoon to their assigned family. Volunteers are assigned a family and the address is attached to the baskets. Our goal is that weekly interactions and deliveries to the same family will result in relationship between recipient and volunteer and the ability to provide more than just physical nourishment.