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August 13, 2025Local Farms & Community Care Unite – Vanderheyden’s New Produce Partnership
Vanderheyden and Capital Roots announced a new partnership to bring fresh, local produce to Vanderheyden’s campus and group homes through Capital Roots’ Institutional Markets Program, which connects businesses and organizations across the Capital Region with high-quality fruits and vegetables sourced directly from local farms.
Through this collaboration, a variety of seasonal produce including fruit, vegetables, and herbs will be delivered weekly to the Vanderheyden by Capital Roots. The fresh ingredients will be used in meals prepared at the Richard A. Desrochers Educational Center and at the homes on campus where youth live and attend the Residential Treatment Center (RTC). Vanderheyden’s group homes throughout the community will also receive the same produce, ensuring a consistent supply of healthy food across all programs.
On Thursday, August 14th, every Vanderheyden program and location will come together in spirit by sharing the same farm-to-table meal, made possible through this partnership. Each site will use the same fresh ingredients and recipes, creating a shared, nutritious experience that aligns with Vanderheyden’s sanctuary commitments of safety, communication, and care.
“This is exactly the kind of collaboration we envisioned with our Institutional Markets Program,” said Amy Klein, CEO of Capital Roots. “By making nutritious, local food more readily available to businesses and organizations, we are supporting our region’s farm economy while also helping create healthier, more vibrant work and care environments.”
Vanderheyden’s President and CEO Karen M. Carpenter states, “This united effort will serve both our organizations well, and we are thrilled with this partnership. The Capital Roots produce will enable us to increase the fresh, healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables we serve at Vanderheyden.” Food Service Manager John Piombino says the program is beneficial in many ways. “The Capital Roots website is user friendly, and provides great detail on each produce item, as well as the exact farm the produce is coming from.” He adds “the quality of the produce has been outstanding.”
