As part of their Health Initiatives grant received through the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Perry Public Library will be offering free produce at select Perry farmers markets.

Once a month, the library will be on hand from 4-7 p.m. for the Thursday event in downtown Perry, and will hand out select fruits and vegetables to anyone, while supplies last. This month they’ll give away sweet corn, then it will be melons in August, and apples in September. All the items will be purchased from local market vendors through the grant funds. Library Director Mary Murphy says it’s a win-win for everyone, as the vendors still get paid for their produce, and the public can get free nutritious food. “The whole theme of the Health Initiatives is walking more and eating more fruits and vegetables. And my drum that I am banging is: don’t count; just eat more fruits and vegetables, because all those micronutrients and other things that fruits and vegetables do to your body are so good for you!”

Murphy adds, she’s hopeful to get the food recovery program running again soon, which involved receiving good quality produce that had been on the shelves too long at local grocery stores and giving them away at the library. To learn more about this and other Perry Library topics, click the links below to listen to the recent two-part Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program with Murphy and Children’s Librarian Suzanne Kestel.

https://www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2020/06/30/lets-talk-dallas-county-6-30-2020-mary-murphy-and-suzanne-kestel-part-one/
https://www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2020/07/01/lets-talk-dallas-county-7-1-2020-mary-murphy-and-suzanne-kestel-part-two/