Meal Sponsored by The Zucchini Brothers in Honor of Zucchini Day

Their Story: Brotherly Duo’s Celebration is About Far More Than Zucchini
The Zucchini Brothers in front of a zucchini
Walter (left) and Gary

Gary and Walter are known around our organization as the Zucchini Brothers, even though they aren’t related.

More than 10 years ago, Gary and Walter began volunteering for us for different reasons. Gary had retired and was recruited by one of our chefs. Walter had lost his son to complications with HIV/AIDS. We offered a place they could each spend time meaningfully.

In our kitchen, Gary and Walter were put on the “dish-up” line. They stood opposite each other for three-hour volunteer shifts every week, filling meal trays with veggies. Always veggies. Most often, zucchini.

Other volunteers say that from the beginning, they brought warmth and conviviality to their shift. They dutifully dished up their veggies, adding a healthy serving of jokes and playing off each other.

Because of their easy camaraderie, the volunteers on their crew dubbed them the Zucchini Brothers, a moniker Gary and Walter fully embraced. Whenever they had zucchini to dish up, they were even more boisterous. And when new volunteers joined their shift, Gary and Walter called them Zucchini Apprentices—their welcome to the volunteer family.

In August 2019, Gary and Walter heard we were promoting our meal sponsorship program. The timing also corresponded with “National Leave a Zucchini on Your Neighbor’s Porch Day.” So, the Zucchini Brothers sponsored the day’s meal, and they donated a giant zucchini. “We prefer to call it just ‘National Zucchini Day,’ though,” said Walter.

Gary and Walter enjoyed sponsoring the meal so much, they’ve made it an annual tradition. “Walter and I have a lot of fun,” said Gary. “But really, if we can share joy and bring others to the family to support the organization, that’s why we do what we do.”

Zucchini: A Culinary Chameleon

Zucchini is known for its nutritional value and versatility! In fact, nearly half of our meals include zucchini in the stew or as a side vegetable. During July alone, we used more than 3,500 pounds of zucchini.

Zucchini Fast Facts:
  • Zucchini is technically a fruit!
  • It can be eaten raw, frozen and added into smoothies, shredded and drained and added into baked goods. You can also roast it or sauté it.
  • You can eat the zucchini blossoms! Use them as a pizza topping, stir into stews, soups, or salads, add into omelets, frittatas, and quesadillas.
  • Zucchini is rich in vitamins C and A, which are important for your immune system.
  • It’s also rich in antioxidants that support eye health.