Many will remember The Beatles (redone by Joe Cocker) song “With a Little Help From My Friends,” and a small
local organization continues to help people get by in a healthier and more affordable way in the Quinte region.
And that organization could use a little help from its friends as well.
The Community Development Council (CDC) of Quinte’s small staff and dedicated volunteers are bringing fresh fruit and
vegetables and offering baby formula and diapers at low prices to over 5,000 households in Hastings and Prince
Edward counties and the demand is growing
It does this by buying produce at wholesale and selling it wholesale. Baby products are purchased at retail prices and then sold at significantly reduced prices.
“Our fruit and vegetables are the freshest anyone can buy, there’s no middle man,” says Executive Director Lea Greenwood.
“We buy straight from the wholesaler and sell it at our cost, we don’t tack on profit. Most households receive the produce within five hours of packing. Can’t get any fresher than that.”
Studies show that one-in-four households have trouble affording nutritious food at least some of the time and one-in-three households with newborns struggle with the costs of food and baby products.
Established in 1989, CDC is a non-profit charitable organization and twice a month, staff
and volunteers package the fresh produce into $10 vegetable bags and five dollar fruit bags. At the retail level, the same bags
would cost $30 to $40.
Contents of one $10 vegetable bag. Contents vary according to availability and pricing. (Photo: John Spitters)
Then, in two large trucks that CDC rents, the produce, along with any baby products ordered, is delivered to 25 pick-up depots
spread throughout the two counties. While packing is done twice monthly, food is distributed to two separate regions of the service area, meaning depots receive deliveries once a month.
People can also get involved in growing their own produce in the 150 CDC Community Gardens set up in Belleville.
Program details can be seen below.
Greenwood says four new depot locations have been opened and two more are ready to go but much more can be done.
“We serve a vast area. Hastings County is the size of Prince Edward Island. We know there are what we call “food deserts”
out there and we’d like to open more depot locations to help people living in the more rural parts of the region.
The problem is money. We rent our two delivery trucks and we’d need to rent another and the cost of gas has gone way up.
Wholesale food and product prices are also up a lot. With new funding from Belleville City Council, increased local distribution will become a reality in the rural community.”
(Photo: John Spitters)
CDC relies exclusively on donations, from government (municipal and county), organizations (United Way/service clubs) and individuals, along with revenue from produce and product sales to keep the programs going.
“We offer a hand up not a handout. Anyone can use our programs, we don’t do any means-testing. People can be sure their donations will be put to good use. Our costs for labour and rent are low, on the other hand, vehicle rentals and gas are expensive and variable. Desert Stream Church, a key community partner, offers space free of charge at the church to unload and package our fruits and vegetables and of course our volunteers make it all work.”
Here is the link to donate to CDC Quinte.
Just some of the hundreds of food bags to be packed Tuesday June 8 2026. (Photo: John Spitters)
Formula and other infant products sold at affordable prices by the Community Development Council of Quinte. (Photo: John Spitters)
Community Development Council Quinte staff (left to right) Executive Director Lea Greenwood, Communications and Outreach Sabrina Seccareccia. Good Food Box and Community Gardens Maranda Jenkins, Good Baby Box and Volunteer Coordinator Bev Heuving. (Photo: John Spitters)
