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Community Food Initiatives

Give Back Garden

Mission statement - The Give Back Garden (GBG), established in 2012, has a simple mission: to provide high-quality, fresh produce to those members of the local community that need it most. Harvested produce is placed in the CUPHD lobby for the public to take on a first-come, first-served basis. With over 30 raised beds and ample volunteer support, CUPHD’s GBG typically grows 1500-2500 pounds of produce annually (yield varies based upon varieties grown, weather conditions, etc).

The Give Back Garden is proud to be listed as a University of Illinois Extension Pollinator Pocket.

Produce Donation Site for Solidarity Gardens

Gardeners can donate home-grown produce at CUPHD. Donated produce is packaged, labeled, and placed in the CUPHD lobby for the public to take on a first-come, first-served basis.

  • Donation Site Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
  • How to Donate? Drop off produce at the WIC desk on the left-hand side of the CUPHD lobby. From 12-1pm produce can be dropped off at the Birth-Death Certificates window. Produce should be lightly cleaned, dry. Bagging/labeling produce for individual/family use is preferred, but bulk donations are acceptable.
  • Who can donate? Anyone! Help your neighbors by donating your extra tomatoes, zucchini, etc.- every little bit makes a difference in our local community!
  • What to Donate? Any produce is accepted, including green tomatoes. Clearly label hot peppers. Please do not donate produce that is damaged or over-ripe.
  • Questions? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at 217-531-4529.
  • For more information, check out Solidarity Gardens’ website.

CU Farm to School

CUPHD partners with Sola Gratia Farm and Urbana School District 116 (USD116) to develop comprehensive, integrated, district-wide Farm to School (F2S) programming. Through this partnership, CUPHD is addressing multifaceted aspects of food insecurity and key social determinants of health by engaging with students at school. F2S aims to create equitable opportunities for USD116 students to learn about food sources, cultivation, and preparation. Additionally, F2S provides students with access to locally sourced foods at school, which also supports the local economy.

For more information, check out CU Farm to School’s website, Follow us on Facebook and Instagram

Free Friday Market

The Free Friday Market (FFM) is a partnership between CUPHD, Sola Gratia Farm, County Market, and Cornerstone Fellowship, which hosts the FFM on Friday afternoons from mid-June to mid-October. The FFM distributes farm-fresh produce, food-producing plants and seeds, non-perishable pantry items, hygiene supplies, NARCAN®, and other public health resources and information in a food insecure neighborhood in Urbana. This year, the FFM is proud to offer onsite STI testing on CUPHD’s mobile unit.

Summer Food Service Program

CUPHD serves as a USDA Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsor, providing meal service on-site to any child aged 1-18 during the summer. For many children in Champaign County, school meals may be their primary or only source of nutrition, making the SFSP crucial in meeting this need when school is not in session.

Learn more about the Summer Food Service Program 

Food Pantries

Community Food Pantry Information