Washington Gleaners Conference 2026
Get ready for a day of inspiration, connection, and community at the Washington Gleaners Conference (WaG)! We’re celebrating the people and programs that power food recovery across our state with engaging sessions, shared stories, and opportunities to learn and grow together.
This is the first of a potential annual WA state gleaners event, held in varying locations throughout the state each year. We are so excited to hear from gleaners from around the region as they share ideas on how to organize and improve gleaning programs, empowering us all to strengthen our communities while reducing food waste.
Registration Opening January 2026
The first ever Washington Gleaner’s Conference will be held on a Friday March 6th, 2026 in Redmond, WA hosted in partnership with Hopelink. The WaG will be held at the Hopelink Redmond facilities 8990 154th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052.
Call for Proposals
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Submission Details
- Who: All interested speakers, organizations, or volunteers
- Where: Hopelink, Redmond (8990 154th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052)
- When: TBD – a Friday in March 2026 (the 6th, 13th or 27th)
- What: Sessions should be around 30 or 45 minutes in length
- Proposal should include: Title, presenter name/organization, key takeaways and a brief session summary (max 250 words)
To Submit: Click the Submit Proposal button above or send submissions or questions to Sarah Armbruster (gleaning@
Why we do what we do
We know that every connection made helps keep good food moving to those who need it most and strengthens the resilient, nourishing food system we’re building together. So, this conference is part of an effort to grow the gleaning movement to improve and increase the nutritional value of food accessible to our most vulnerable community members.
Time and again we’ve proven that we are strongest when we work together and share knowledge and resources freely. Together, we are striving to build a movement that understands the importance of not just the calories provided, but the abundance of benefits that come with access to nutritious food and thriving communities.
In Washington state, In Washington, 1,027,920 people are facing hunger every day, and there are many more who can’t afford to eat nutritious foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. It is well documented that those who don’t, or can’t, eat nutritious foods are more vulnerable to serious health complications. To make matters worse, over a million tons of fresh, quality fruits and vegetables are going to waste in our state each year.
Gleaning is the act of harvesting produce (farms, gardens, backyards, etc.) before it goes to waste and providing it to those in need.
This year, for the first time, gleaners from around the state will unite to initiate and inspire action that will build the bridge between food waste and hunger on a state-wide level. Gleaning organizations around Washington state will have the opportunity to plant and nourish seeds that can to grow into solutions to both food waste and a more equitable food system for all.