Gleaning Project Volunteer

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Description

The Gleaning Project is a volunteer program of Harvest Pierce County and the Pierce Conservation District that works to reduce the amount of produce wasted in our community, provide more fresh food to those in need, and build community. This community based effort is a response to the dramatic increase in the number of people seeking food assistance in our county. Most farmers are never able to sell everything they produce. Even if the produce is fresh, sometimes farmers are limited by regulations and aesthetics. Harvest Pierce County staff work with local farmers and organizes groups of volunteers to glean produce from their fields that they can no longer sell. The bounty is then distributed to food banks, meal sites, and community organizations. We also support volunteers to glean leftover food from vendors at Pierce County farmers markets. Fruit Trees can be abundant producers. Many people have fruit trees on their property that produce more than they can handle or never even get harvested! We work to prevent fruit waste by organizing volunteers to harvest trees at the homeowners request and share the bounty with local food banks and shelters

Youth under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Individuals can register to volunteer by visiting www.piercecountygleaningproject.org and then sign up for a gleaning event through the website events page. At the event they are given training on the spot by the Harvest Leader. During the spring months we also offer occasional New Volunteer Trainings at our office for folks who have never gleaned before. But the primary method of training is through our volunteer leaders and so a formal training is not required before someone starts gleaning.

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