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The Gleaning Network
The network brings together growers, individuals, groups and agencies willing to volunteer for the gleaning of America’s fields to feed America’s hungry.
The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) started The Gleaning Network in 1988. Each year over 30,000-40,000 volunteers glean 20-25 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables providing 60-75 million servings of nourishing food to hungry people.
SoSA is working to expand the network nationwide. A Gleaning Guide, explaining step-by-step how to organize a gleaning event, is available for areas outside currently established gleaning networks.
The Need
Hunger in this country is a reality. 47 million Americans regularly go without food. 13 million of them are children. A segment of the population is malnourished. Women, children, the unemployed, the working poor, and homeless people are all impacted by the tragedy of hunger.
The Waste
The USDA estimates 20% of all food grown in this country is wasted - because either it’s not commercially marketable or it is missed during mechanical harvesting. With the food that is wasted annually, we could feed all the hungry people in the United States. The Gleaning Network addresses these problems of hunger and waste through the ancient Biblical practice of gleaning...the gathering of crops left in fields after harvest. This food is then distributed to the hungry through shelters, food banks, soup kitchens, and other hunger relief agencies.
Volunteers
The Gleaning Network feeds hungry people through the efforts of volunteers. Without them, produce donated by growers will go to waste. People from all faiths, beliefs, and backgrounds can help alleviate the unnecessary tragedy of hunger.
A constant supply of volunteers is required to meet the demands of growing seasons and harvest time. Groups of any size and all ages are invited to spend 3-4 hours in the fields. Gleaning can be a family opportunity. If children are involved, good adult supervision is needed. Most gleaning requires some bending and lifting.
Growers
When 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. Deuteronomy 24:19
The Gleaning Network operates through the generosity of growers who donate fields and orchards for gleaning. We accept all kinds of fruits and vegetables. We also accept rejected but still wholesome tractor-trailer loads of produce through SoSA’s Potato & Produce Project.
Other SoSA Programs
THE POTATO & PRODUCE PROJECT is a nationwide produce salvage program in which growers donate to SoSA tractor-trailer loads of commercially unmarketable yet perfectly good, nutritious produce for free distribution to food banks, pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, service agencies, and Native American reservations. Through our self-help Seed Potato Program, SoSA donates seed potatoes to impoverished families in Appalachia and Native American reservations to grow their own crops for family and neighbor-hood hunger-relief.
HARVES T OF HOPE, the educational arm of the Society of St. Andrew, conducts mission retreats for people of all ages to learn about the hunger issue and gain first-hand experience in meeting the needs of the hungry.
Growers with produce and groups interested in gleaning should contact The Gleaning Network.
The Gleaning Director schedules gleaning dates and provides leadership and field supervision during the gleaning.
Distribution of the produce is arranged through The Gleaning Network. Groups are encouraged to deliver the food to agencies in their area.