About

Evergreen Produce Connection works to improve the livelihoods and wellbeing of low-income residents by making high-quality fresh produce reliably available, where and when they need it, free of charge.

Who We Are

Evergreen Produce Connection is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Tacoma, Washington. We were founded in 2020 as Food is Free Washington and have distributed fresh produce every week at Mi Centro in Pierce County since 2023.

We work in Tacoma because urban food access is its own problem. Families in dense neighborhoods often live close to grocery stores they cannot afford and far from any reliable source of free, fresh produce. We meet people where they already are, on a schedule they can count on, with food that is good to eat.

What We Believe

Fresh produce should not be a luxury. The people we serve know what their families need and how to cook it. Our job is to make sure the produce is there, reliably, in good condition, at no cost, and to remove every barrier between a family and a healthy meal. No application. No eligibility test. No charge.

We define high-quality produce as fresh, whole, at or near peak ripeness, free of rot, mold, or damage that affects edibility or nutritional value, and distributed in time for people to use it. A bruise or an odd shape is not a reason to keep good food from the table.

Our Reach

On an average week we serve around 325-360 families per week, providing a families’ worth of produce every week. At our Mi Centro distribution, the number of families we serve has grown roughly thirty percent over the past six months (January to June, 2026). Each week we serve around 350 families at Mi Centro, up roughly thirty percent over the past six months. Over a year that reaches more than 2,000 people, most of them in households with children.

Leadership

Andrew Bacon is Chief Executive Officer. Ursula Klein is Director of Operations and directs day-to-day operations and distribution in Tacoma. Evergreen Produce Connection is governed by an independent board of directors.

Support and Partners

Our work is made possible by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Kaiser Permanente, and a network of supply and distribution partners across the region, including Cascadia Produce, Emergency Food Network, The Farm at Franklin Pierce Schools, the Pierce County Gleaning Project, and our host site at Mi Centro Washington.

Evergreen Produce Connection is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN: 85-3943357.