Gleaning America's Fields ~ Feeding America's Hungry

 

Hunger FAQs
Is there enough food for everyone in the world?  
There is enough food for everyone in the world today. In fact, enough food is available globally to provide at least 4.3 pounds of food per person daily. That is enough food to make most people fat!
If hunger is not the result of insufficient food production, then why does hunger exist?  
Hunger exists only because we permit it.  The better question than asking why there is hunger is, "Why do we allow hunger to exist?"
What are the immediate causes of hunger?  
Hunger almost always is the consequence of poverty.  For the most part, the world's hungry simply do not earn enough to provide for their basic food needs.
How many people experience hunger in the world?  
About 854 million people in the world are undernourished.  That is more than the combined populations of the United States and Canada.
How many Americans experience hunger?  
Over 37 million Americans struggle daily to get enough to eat.  About 11% of American households experience hunger each year.
Aren't U.S. government programs like food stamps enough to provide for the needs of the hungry?  
Just over half the families that struggle to get enough to eat participate in federal food assistance programs.  Over 23 million people rely on nonprofit hunger relief organizations each year. 
Is there a relationship between food waste and hunger?  
The short answer is "yes."  The reality is that huge amounts of perfectly edible food are wasted each year while people at the same time go hungry.  Much of this wasted food could be used to feed hungry people.  You can learn more about food waste at our web page on the subject.
food waste information
 
Where can I find more information on world hunger?  
Additional information about world hunger can be found on our web page on World Hunger.  Also, a number of links to timely reports on world hunger can be found there.
world hunger information
 
Where can I learn more about hunger in the United States?  
You can learn more about hunger in America at our web page on U.S. Hunger.  You can also find links there to timely reports on hunger in America.
 
U.S. hunger information 
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Ministry
How does the Society of St. Andrew's Potato and Produce Project work?
  1. Fresh vegetables and produce is donated to us by farmers, brokers, packing houses, or food distribution warehouses.
  2. We pay for the packaging (if necessary) of the donated food and for transporting it to an organization that can receive and distribute it.  Often these are food banks, but sometimes we deliver truckloads of food the churches, schools, or other places where volunteers then distribute the food of hunger relief organizations.
  3. The receiving agencies then distribute this food to organizations that serve those in need at no cost to the recipients.
read more
   
How does gleaning work?
  1. Farmers agree to open their fields or orchards to volunteers to collect the food left over after the harvest.  Sometimes they will even allow volunteers to actually harvest crops if market forces make them uneconomical to harvest otherwise.
  2. A Society of St. Andrew gleaning coordinator arranges for volunteers to go into the donated fields and orchards to pick up the perfectly edible food left behind.
  3. The gleaning coordinator arranges for the food to be either delivered to or picked up by local agencies serving the hungry at no cost to them.
read more
 
Where does the Society of St. Andrew operate?
We operate gleaning ministries in several states.  Our Potato and Produce Project operates across the United States.  We do not operate outside the United States.
our locations
 
What does the Society of St. Andrew do that is different from my local food bank?
  1. The Society of St. Andrew provides fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables to food banks (and other organizations that serve those in need) across the U.S. at no cost to them, enabling these organizations to stretch their already tight budgets.
  2. We do not charge recipient organizations handling fees for the food we provide and ask that they don't charge fees for the food we provide them.
  3. We are a Christian ministry that recognizes the spiritual dimension of helping others and provide spiritual growth materials to those interested.
  4. The food we rescue and deliver to recipient agencies would often otherwise end up in landfills.  Our efforts therefore have a positive environmental effect.
read more
 
Where does the Society of St. Andrew get its funding from?
About 33.5% of our funding comes from individuals who financially support our ministry.  Donations from churches, church agencies, and groups affiliated with churches account for 37.8% of our funding.  The remaining 28.7% of our financial support comes from foundations and corporations.  We receive no funding from government.
our finances
 
Where can I volunteer to glean?
We have gleaning operations active in a number of states.  You can volunteer by completing the form on our Volunteer page.
volunteer
 
How do I donate to the Society of St. Andrew?
The quickest and easiest way to donate to our ministry is to make a credit card donation online.  You can do so through our Donate Now page.  The page also contains information about other ways to give and about getting your church involved.
donate now
 
Can I get a truck load of potatoes delivered to my church?
We call these deliveries "Potato Drops."  We work with churches across the U.S. in making potato drops where they in turn arrange the delivery of the food to local receiving agencies.  We appreciate churches having potato drops helping to defray the transportation cost of the food. 
read more
 
Can I go gleaning if you don't have a local gleaning coordinator in my area?
YES YOU CAN!  In fact, we encourage you to do so.  We'll gladly send you some guidance on how to set up an occasional gleaning event in your area.  We only ask that you let us know how it goes when you're finished.  Also, if you are interested in serving as a gleaning coordinator in your area, please contact us.
 
 
How can I get my church involved in supporting your ministry?
  1. Encourage your church to become a partner church with us.
  2. For an even closer partnership, encourage your church to become a covenant church.
  3. Have your church participate in our Lent or Advent devotions and giving programs.
  4. Get your church to select our ministry as your Vacation Bible School mission project.
  5. Have your church send a youth team to Harvest of Hope.
  6. Go gleaning with us.
  7. Use our Bible Study on hunger.
read more
 
What is your organization's overhead cost?
We are independently audited each year and our most recent audit is available online.  As with all nonprofit organizations, "overhead" costs include the costs associated with administration of the ministry and the costs for raising funds.  We consistently keep these costs to below 10% of our expenses.  For comparison, the Better Business Bureau's standard for nonprofit organizations is that no more than 35% of expenses be for fundraising.
read more
More questions? 
 
 
 
Copyright © Society of St. Andrew | All Rights Reserved | Home | Donate | Contact Us | Site Map/Site Search | Privacy Policy
National Office: 3383 Sweet Hollow Road, Big Island, VA 24526                         PHONE: 800-333-4597 or 434-299-5956