The FruitGuys Helps UMOM Reduce Hunger and Homelessness

Every week, one of The FruitGuys’ fruit donations for hunger relief arrives at United Methodist Outreach Ministries New Day Centers (UMOM) in Phoenix, Arizona. 

One donation might be bruised apples. Another week, the UMOM team could unbox scarred but tasty oranges, or pears that are too soft to ship but still sweet to eat. Whatever’s inside, it’s up to Residential Dining Chef Jessica Altamirano and her team to transform it into grab-and-go meals for hundreds of hungry shelter residents. 

From ‘Donated’ to ‘Delicious’ 

“Breakfast is usually when we use the fruit,” UMOM’s Director of Culinary Enterprises, Edwin Jimenez, told The FruitGuys. “… Children going to school are usually the ones who grab those meals, so we process the fruit into something like a fruit cup.” 

Kids need nutritious breakfasts to power them through the school day, so the UMOM team adds fruit for its fiber, vitamins, and natural sweetness. Later in the day, residents might find donated fruit sliced over a salad as a side dish at lunch or baked into banana bread for dessert. 

“[The chefs] are not only talented but truly care and get creative,” Edwin said. 

Serving Women and Families in Need

UMOM is the largest shelter in Maricopa County for families and single women experiencing homelessness. On any given day, its programs support nearly 700 people. The nonprofit offers 19 meals per week: breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday through Friday, and brunch and dinner on the weekends. 

“We strongly believe everybody deserves the dignity of a warm, nutritious, delicious meal,” Edwin said. 

The in-house residential dining program is a key part of UMOM’s operations, but the nonprofit also provides a host of other services to support its residents, who UMOM staff call “clients.” UMOM offers case management, an in-house clinic, access to affordable housing, pet care in partnership with The Arizona Pet Project, and a workforce center to help with job training. 

Inspiring the Next Generation of Chefs

Clients interested in food service can enter a six-week culinary training program, which includes working shifts at the shelter’s public-facing restaurant, Helpings Café and Catering. From there, they might go on to work for one of UMOM’s dozens of employer partners, including Starbucks, MOD Pizza, and The Cheesecake Factory. The revenue generated at Helpings funds UMOM’s other programs. 

“We believe jobs plus housing will end homelessness and prevent it from recurring, which is the main goal we have here at UMOM,” Edwin said. 

A Fruitful Partnership

The FruitGuys has supported UMOM with weekly fruit donations for hunger relief since 2014, delivering thousands of pounds of fruit to the shelter every year. We’re proud to contribute to its residential dining program and play a small part in its mission to solve the problem of family homelessness.

“We all understand that we don’t have the solution to it all, but forming partnerships with people out there is how we will be able to attain our goal,” Edwin said.

He added that the scale of the problem can be daunting, but when he feels overwhelmed, he likes to walk the UMOM campus. Watching happy kids play on the basketball court, fueled by UMOM meals, always motivates him to keep going.

Help Support UMOM with Donate-a-Crate

Whether your office is closed for the holidays or you’re simply feeling generous, you can “fruit it forward” and donate one of your FruitGuys deliveries to UMOM or another hunger relief organization through our Donate-a-Crate Program. We’ll deliver your order directly to them, and your fruit and snacks will help feed folks in need. In 2023 alone, our amazing clients fed 40,972 people through this program! Click here to learn more.