By Donna Westfall – October 4, 2016  –

Question: How would you go about distributing tons of fresh food picked from local gardens and fruit trees?  Answer: By putting together a volunteer force to go out and glean.

This evening,October 4th,  Connor Caldwell held a brief meeting at First 5 on Pacific to organize volunteers to accomplish such a task. Formerly, Kelly Nolan, headed up the Gleaning Group. For a few years 1/2 dozen or so volunteers would go out and pick fruit and vegetables and drop off bags and boxes of produce to such agencies at the Senior Center, Harrington House, Our Daily Bread Ministries and more just to name a few.

This season, the list has been expanded to include the schools for their Supplemental Snacks program.  With all the food that is available, there’s no one in our County that should go hungry.

Currently, Connor, has a list of 35 places that have fruits and vegetables to glean, but not enough volunteers.

Here’s a list of what’s needed:

1. Drivers of vehicles that have enough room to haul people and boxes or bags of produce.
2. Some ladders, plastic or paper shopping bags or boxes
3. Dress comfortably in work clothes as if you were to work in the garden
4. Pair of gloves and a hat if it’s sunny or misty

Now, if you know of anyone that has fruit dropping off their trees, give a call and let that fruit be distributed where it’s needed.

For non-profits that hold fundraisers, what could be more fun and profitable than baking up a batch of apple pies for sale?

Call Connor at 831 318 2754 to Volunteer.   Call Connor if you need produce.  Picking fresh food is fun.