Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County
GleanSLO, a program of the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County that utilizes volunteers to rescue produce that would otherwise go to waste, will host a large produce harvest at Talley Farms in Arroyo Grande on Oct. 24, 2015 as part of a first-ever regional gleaning day event called Glean805 that will provide fresh, local produce for hungry families in San Luis Obispo county, while drawing awareness to greater gleaning efforts in the Tri-County region.
The GleanSLO-hosted event, which is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m., will rely on volunteer participation to rescue excess produce that is not marketable for the grower, but is otherwise still of exceptional nutritious value. All ages are welcome to participate. Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
“Talley Farms and our Fresh Harvest CSA program support the work of GleanSLO as they provide fresh fruits and vegetables for the needy in our community, while educating on the importance of eating healthy,” says Talley Farms CFO and Co-Owner Todd Talley. “We are grateful for the work of the GleanSLO volunteers, who harvest our ‘imperfect’ produce that we would otherwise cultivate back into the soil.”
Yields from the Oct. 24 GleanSLO harvest will be transported directly from the field to the Food Bank’s Paso Robles and Oceano Warehouses where it will be distributed directly to families in need and agencies that fight hunger in San Luis Obispo County. Individuals looking to participate in the GleanSLO-hosted event must register as a volunteer through the GleanSLO website and sign-up for the event on the organization’s online harvest calendar.
Glean805 is the first joint effort between GleanSLO and other regional gleaning groups—including Santa Barbara County-based Backyard Bounty and Santa Ynez Fruit and Veggie Rescue, as well as the Ventura County-based Food Share Ventura and Food Forward— to organize one day of events throughout the Tri-County area. Volunteers are encouraged to reach out to their local gleaning group or search “Glean805” on Facebook to find out how to get involved where they live.
“We live in an area of agricultural abundance, yet there are many people that go hungry,” says GleanSLO Program Manager Susan Singley. “Gleaning is an opportunity for people to come together and help fight hunger right in their own backyards, while connecting with their community, reducing food waste and creating a healthier community. Every year, millions of pounds of food go unharvested in fields across our region. Volunteers and community partners are needed to help local gleaning groups capture this produce to help feed our communities.”
Since 2010, GleanSLO has rescued more than 720,000 pounds of fresh, local produce, with 165,000 pounds in 2015 alone— all of which has been distributed to families in need locally.