Developing strong, positive, and professional relationships with farmers is imperative to the growth of your program. In the first year, focus on establishing relationships and trust with the farmers by being reliable and consistent in your interactions. Once a solid partnership has been established between…
Hopelink has engaged in produce recovery from farmers markets near their service centers for many years. If you would like to recover produce at the market, you will need to contact the Farmers Market Coordinator to determine if they have an established process or if…
Since 1971, Hopelink has served homeless and low-income families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities. Hopelink’s mission is to promote self-sufficiency for all members of our community by helping people make lasting change. Hopelink has five emergency service centers located in Bellevue, Kirkland/Northshore, Redmond, Shoreline, and…
Promoting nutrition requires more than just providing food. It also involves education and outreach. Food bank clients have a diversity of knowledge, skills, and experiences with food that may vary by region, culture, or family. It is important to understand the needs of the people…
When recruiting farmers to donate surplus produce, face-to-face interactions are critical to yield new partnerships. Attending the local Sno-Valley Tilth meetings was the first step in meeting farmers face to face. Tilth organizations are made up of community members who support sustainable food production through farming,…
As a first-year project, volunteer outreach and recruitment during 2013 were some of the highest priorities for the coordinator. Although FISH is supported by regular volunteers, a contact list for volunteers specifically willing to glean had not been created. The best pools for recruitment were…
In the summer of 2008, the Food Access Coalition of Kittitas County (consisting of Heifer International, FISH Food Bank, Hope Source, WSU Extension, and Master Gardeners) made it a priority and goal to implement a gleaning project to augment existing programs that help provide better…
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…