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Super Citrus Saturdays 2025

When Life Gives You Lemons, Share Them!  

Our Super Citrus Saturday Wrap-Up!

Every Spring here in Southern Arizona, we’re surrounded by citrus—so much that it can be hard to use it all up. Fortunately, the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona’s Super Citrus Saturdays offers a chance for folks to put their extra fruit to good use instead of letting it go to waste. 

Thanks to the generosity of our neighbors, volunteers, and local partners, we collected an amazing 3,224 pounds of citrus this year! Every lemon, orange, grapefruit, and tangelo donated means fresh, healthy food goes to someone in need instead of ending up in the trash. 

Our biggest collection was in January at Rillito Garden Nursery and Ashley Home Store, where we brought in over 2,000 pounds of fruit. We wrapped up this year’s season on March 29 with even more donations at two Fry’s Food Store locations on 22nd Street. 

Why do we do this? As Sio Castillo, our Interim CEO, puts it: “Backyard trees can overflow with fruit this time of year. Sharing your citrus is an easy way to cut down on waste and help keep our community healthy.” 

Food waste is a big issue—according to the USDA, as much as 30–40% of food in the U.S. gets tossed. That includes perfectly good fruit growing in backyards that never gets picked. 

While citrus is a great source of vitamin C, it can also serve purposes beyond the kitchen. Here are three creative ways to use citrus fruit—especially peels, rinds, and pith—that go beyond eating it:  

  • Natural Cleaning Agent: Citrus rinds contain powerful oils that work as natural disinfectants. Soak peels in vinegar to create an eco-friendly, great-smelling household cleaner. 
  • DIY Insect Repellent: Citrus peels—especially orange and lemon—contain compounds that help deter pests. Placing dried citrus near windows or garden beds can help keep bugs at bay. 
  • Aromatic Home Freshener: Simmer citrus rinds with cinnamon sticks and cloves to create a natural air freshener that gives your home a warm, inviting scent. 

Check out the USDA’s page on oranges and learn about other interesting ways to use citrus. Check out the USDA’s page on oranges and learn about other interesting ways to use citrus. 

Still have citrus on your tree? No problem! We’ve teamed up with the Iskashitaa Refugee Network, a group that helps harvest fruit straight from your yard. Just call 520-440-0100 to get started or fill out this online form. Thank you to everyone who donated fruit, volunteered their time, or helped spread the word. We couldn’t have done it without you!