Within the first week of service, the coordinator started attending monthly Food Access Coalition meetings. The Coalition’s members had a strong understanding of the county’s agricultural landscape and shared that knowledge. Because they had personal relationships with farmers, coalition members were able to introduce the…
The largest contribution of gleaned food at Fish Food Bank came from cull pick-ups. After farmers markets, growers usually have produce that will not last until the following market, which can be culled. These cull pick-ups were regularly scheduled for Monday or Tuesday – as…
Gleaning can be hard work and it can’t be done without dedicated volunteers and farm partners. The Pierce County Gleaning Project has made an end-of-the-season celebration an annual tradition. Not only are parties fun, but they are a great way to help retain and recognize…
Recruitment The coordinator conducted general outreach by hanging posters, posting on volunteer websites, and getting stories in newsletters for like-minded groups. Additionally, the coordinator worked with volunteer centers at local universities and community colleges to post PCGP volunteer listings. The coordinator also tabled regularly at…
Community Engagement Events Pruning and fruit tree care workshops, cooking demonstrations and garden workshops, panel discussions, book clubs, film showings are just some of the possibilities. In addition to getting the word out to potential volunteers and donors, the greatest benefit from these events was…
In its first year, the PCGP gleaning coordinator tabled and gleaned a weekly farmers market in downtown Tacoma. It was a great way to outreach to local farmers and resulted in 7,300 pounds of gleaned produce, milk, and bread for St. Leo’s. In its second…
A Jesuit Volunteer started the Pierce County Gleaning Project (PCGP) in 2009 at St. Leo’s Food Connection, (St. Leo’s), a large food bank located in downtown Tacoma. In the past, Washington State University (WSU) Extension ran a gleaning program in Pierce County, but that ended in the early…
Drawing inspiration from Seattle gleaning groups such as Lettuce Link’s Community Fruit Tree Harvest and City Fruit, the PCGP coordinator organized a fruit harvest in five neighborhoods in Tacoma, based on neighborhood council boundaries. While the second year of harvesting fruit trees has reaped more…
In addition to gleaning from farms and encouraging gardeners to plant extra for their food banks, Pierce County is home to its own Food Bank Farm operated by EFN, Mother Earth Farm. A handful of food banks in Pierce County also boast their own gardens….
The Share the Harvest program coordinator (job description here) supports interested community gardens in developing plots in a community garden designated for a local food bank/shelter also known as “Giving Gardens”. While many counties may not be able to support a new position, the Share…