Today’s guest post comes to us from Second Harvest Heartland, the Upper Midwest’s largest hunger relief organization. The organization’s mission is to end hunger through community partnerships. They’re known for distributing great amounts of food quickly and efficiently; in 2012 alone, they collected, warehoused and distributed more than 76 million pounds of food—but they’re also constantly pioneering ways to reduce waste and better use the abundant resources available in this land of plenty.
Looking for a fun and unique way to help our neighbors in need? Come glean with Second Harvest Heartland, and enjoy a beautiful day on a working farm with this unique volunteer opportunity!
Second Harvest Heartland needs your help to pick fresh, healthy produce at local farms for those at risk of hunger. Second Harvest Heartland delivers all the produce you harvest to local food shelves, soup kitchens and other agency partner programs in our region. Bring your friends and family for a fun, meaningful experience.
They welcome individuals, families or groups ages 12+. Gleaning events last approximately three hours and take place weekdays, weekends and weekday evenings from July through October. Second Harvest Heartland provides training, boxes and transportation of all of the harvested produce back to our warehouse. Volunteers need to provide their own transportation to the farms and bring lots of energy and anything for proper protection from the weather (water, sunscreen, etc.). (Note: This position requires participants to be able to stand for long periods of time. Adults should be able to carry a 40 lb. bag of apples.)
Ready to get out in the fields? These events often occur on short notice, when it’s convenient for farmers and while the produce is still fresh. We need volunteers like you who are at the ready. Sign up for our volunteer emails, and we’ll send you alerts when the crops are ready to be picked! Or, feel free to call (651) 209-7909 with any questions.
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