The team of volunteers that was created prior to the 1st year VISTA, called the Food Assessment Collaborative Team (FACT), consists of members from the Community Action Center, Backyard Harvest, Washington State University Center for Civic Engagement, Council on Aging, and various other community members..
Providing vegetable starts to clients at your organization is a great tool to reduce food insecurity and empower community members with free fresh produce. Not everyone has the space, time, or skills to have a garden, so use vegetable varieties that grow well in pots and don’t need too much advanced work..
Raising awareness and recruiting volunteers take a significant amount of planning time when done correctly. When engaging community members, it’s important to have a strategy behind your interaction..
Creating a strategic plan for donor outreach makes the growing season more bountiful for farmers and food banks alike. Winter is an excellent opportunity to take advantage of farmer downtime to introduce one’s organization or build on an existing relationship..
Harvest for Vashon volunteer outreach has taken on many different forms over the last two years, and a consistent factor to account for is the unique profile of island neighbors. The island has a population of 10,000, most of whom are elderly residents and young families..
Agencies are the third side of the triangle of gleaning. Agencies are the places where gleaned food is distributed to those who are in need. Agencies can take a variety of forms. The goal is to get the produce onto the tables of hungry people as quickly and fresh as possible..
Farmers are foundational to the gleaning network. Growers must know that gleaning operations are not trying to “take advantage” of them, or do any harm to their crops, land, or business. It is essential that they understand that we have their interests at heart, as well as the needs of the hungry in our communities..
Volunteers represent one side of the triangle. Like most gleaning programs, the SoSA Gleaning Network depends on volunteers willing to give their time. Many people are looking for the opportunity to give back to the community..
The donor relations efforts are both components of SoSA’s overall marketing and visibility efforts. Volunteer and donor outreach and maintenance is in and of itself marketing. Tabling at conferences, visiting farms and distribution centers, and donating produce all highlight the efforts and significance of gleaning..
Farmers, growers, and residential growers and home gardeners provide the donations necessary for the Society of Saint Andrew to function. SoSA’s top priority is to offer amazing customer service to every food provider and reassure them that hungry Americans receive their food donations..