Covanta-SEMASS teamed up with the Gleason Family YMCA on Friday to bring boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables to families.

The Farmers to Families program, which gives free boxes of produce to local families, was funded by a USDA grant to Sid Wainer & Son, a local food distributor. Sid Wainer partnered with the Marion Institute’s Southcoast Food Policy Council and the United Way of Greater New Bedford to distribute these boxes to families in need. In Wareham, the Marion Institute has partnered with the Gleason YMCA as a weekly distribution site. This program began in June and will continue until the end of August.

The company donated a total of $3,000 — half of which was raised by employees — to the YMCA to help them continue the program. The boxes of produce are provided by Sid Wainer.

“We really hope to help people who are struggling with food insecurity at this difficult time,” said Mark Davis, the plant manager at COVANTA-SEMASS.

Plant employees also donated their time, and helped unload pallets of boxes of fruits and vegetables from the truck and put them in the trunk of families’ cars.

This week, the boxes contained lettuce, blueberries, oranges, and bell peppers, among other fresh produce.

“It’s all good, fresh quality stuff,” said Lu Brito of the YMCA.

The Farmers to Families boxes are distributed from noon to 2 p.m. each Friday. To be added to the waiting list to receive a box, call Mel Dyer at the YMCA at 774-762-0015.