Gleaning America's Fields ~ Feeding America's Hungry

 

Gleaning Network
One major area of food waste in America is in farmers' fields where crops that don't meet top grade quality are left to rot or be plowed under.
Gleaning is the traditional Biblical practice of gathering crops that would otherwise be left in the fields to rot or be plowed under after harvestThe Gleaning Network coordinates volunteers, growers, and distribution agencies to salvage this food for the needy. Tens of thousands of volunteers from churches, synagogues, scout troops, senior citizen groups, and other organizations participate each year in Society of St. Andrew gleaning activities. Each year tens of millions of pounds of produce are salvaged and given to the poor at no cost to them.

Gleaners are people of all ages and income levels who want to give of themselves. Within 48 hours of picking the produce, hungry Americans are usually eating the gleaned food.  Each year some 30,000 people go gleaning with us to pick up over 15 million pounds of fresh, nutritious food for their hungry neighbors.

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Quick Facts
2009 Results  
In 2009 over 34,600 volunteers joined with us to salvage and distribute to America's hungry over 15.7 million pounds of produce through our Gleaning Network.
Historical Total  
On average, over eleven gleaning events with 8-9 volunteers take place every single day of the year.  Since it was established in 1988, the Gleaning Network has brought nearly 400,000 volunteers into America's fields to glean over 164 million pounds of food for America's hungry.
Why It Works
The Gleaning Network is an extremely successful and cost effective program because it is volunteer-driven and biblically based.

The biblical mandate comes from Deuteronomy 24:19When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all your undertakings.  (NRSV).

By relying on people seeking to put hands and feet to their faith, we are able to keep our costs to about 2.6 cents per serving of gleaned food.
 
More Information
 
 
 
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