About the Produce Center
The Center operates out of the former LCCAA Bike Shop at 204 W. 10th Street in Lorain. We are open to anyone in Lorain County living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level ($62,400 annually for a family of four from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025).
Our produce center is not intended to meet all of your household’s nutritional needs.
As a pantry, we focus on helping with fresh food options to stretch your food budget and encourage better health.
Produce items are intended for eating within three to five days as recipe items for homecooked meals, packed lunches, healthy snacks, and as a way to make your food more delicious. Additional shelf-stable items such as rice and beans will round out your meals.
Our center has coolers and offers refrigerated items. We do not offer frozen food items. We focus on fresh and canned produce. Our intention is to bring in more and more fresh items as we grow the center.
How to Place Your Order
The LCCAA Produce Center uses Feeding America’s online order system, Order Ahead. You can find the link to the system on our website.
1. The first time you order, you will need to create a free account using an email address and password.
2. You will have a choice of email, text, phone or a combination of all three for receiving reminders about your orders
3. You must enter the ZIP Code 44052 in order to find our Produce Center on the ordering system’s welcome page.
4. You will choose your appointment time first, then make selections from our inventory.
5. When you click “Checkout” you will have an opportunity to review your order and all the details. You will need to confirm your order to complete it.
6. You will immediately receive confirmation using the contact method you chose during your registration. Registration only happens with your first order.
7. You will receive additional notifications 24 hours and 2 hours before your scheduled pick-up time. It is important to be on time.
8. You will not be asked and are not required to pay.
You will be asked some questions about your food situation and your household. Not all questions will be asked every time you place an order.
Picking Up Your Order
1. Make sure your trunk is empty.
2. Follow all posted signs and staff instructions.
3. STAY IN YOUR CAR. Staff will place your order in your trunk.
4. Please approach the Produce Center using Reid Avenue and West 10th Street rather than cutting through the LCCAA parking lot at 936 Broadway Ave.
5. Please have your picture ID ready. Staff members will verify the information you provided to Order Ahead.
6. You will not need to provide any proof of income. You are responsible for being honest about your eligibility.
7. Space is limited. Please arrive no earlier than five minutes before your appointment time.
8. If you are late for your appointment, you may be asked to park and wait while staff serve others.
Appointment Times Matter
Our program is strictly designed and staffed around appointment times.
We understand being limited to a specific pickup time may not work for everyone.
After two late shows of more than an hour and/or two no shows, you will be referred to a different pantry.
Choice
When our center becomes a choice pantry, you will have a variety of items to choose from each week. While our aim will be to provide you all your choice items, supply and staffing may make it necessary to make substitutions to provide you with enough items to fill an order. Substitutions will most likely be shelf stable items.
Weekly Service
Many pantries and cupboards limit the number of times you can get food monthly. Our service may be used every week if you choose. This increases the chances you will use the produce you order before it loses its freshness. It also encourages regularly making home-cooked meals for improved nutrition and health.
