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This Summer Associate serves with the Portland Fruit Tree Project to expand access to fruit, harvests, and urban orchards care opportunities by supporting pruning, pest management and tree care, assisting with and co-leading volunteer harvests, and completing small solo harvests. They also support outreach activities such as tabling to recruit new harvest host sites, volunteers, and community partners, strengthening access to fresh fruit and reducing food waste.

On the last Friday in June 2026, a dedicated group of Harvest Against Hunger (HAH) VISTA volunteers with the Portland Fruit Tree Project (PFTP) partnered to co-lead a backyard plum harvest in Vancouver, Washington. Together, they were invited to a beautiful home orchard by a generous couple and returning PFTP volunteers who had more fruit than they could use or preserve on their own. Rather than allowing the abundant harvest to go to waste, they welcomed volunteers to gather the plums at all levels of ripeness to ensure they would benefit the wider community.

Working together under the shade of the tree, the team carefully picked more than 100 pounds of fresh, juicy plums from the trees. These plums were considered “A” fruit, and were able to be directly provided to communities in need throughout the Portland metro area. The harvest was not only productive but also a meaningful opportunity to connect with neighbors, strengthen community partnerships, and experience the power of collective action. This experience was a strong demonstration of how a few hours of shared effort can have a lasting impact.

This harvest highlights the shared mission of HAH and the PFTP: reducing food waste while increasing access to fresh, nutritious produce. By harvesting fruit that would otherwise remain unpicked, volunteers helped the homeowners manage their orchard’s seasonal abundance while preventing perfectly good food from spoiling.

Once collected, the plums are able to be distributed through local hunger relief organizations, where they became a valuable source of fresh fruit for individuals and families across the Portland metropolitan area. Every pound harvested represented both a reduction in food waste and an investment in community well-being.

Events like this showcase the importance of collaboration between homeowners, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers. Together, they transform surplus produce into a resource that nourishes neighbors, supports local food systems, and builds stronger, more connected communities. This harvest, and all PFTP harvests for that matter, serve as a reminder that when people come together to share abundance, everyone benefits.