An Age-old Practice is Revived
The Arkansas Gleaning Project, a program based on the age-old practice of hand gathering fresh fruits and vegetables from the fields after the harvest, provided 1.2 million pounds of food that found its way to the tables of food insecure Arkansans in 2012. That, in itself, is pretty impressive. Now consider that the cost per pound of that gleaned produce was less than 3 cents. Less than 3 cents per pound for fresh, locally grown produce. So how does that happen? Through the Alliance’s partnerships with the Society of Saint Andrew in the Fields, the Arkansas Department of Corrections and Stallion Transportation Group, we locate and enlist Arkansas growers, hand gather produce from their fields after the harvest, transport and process that fresh produce― from corn to watermelon to beans― that would otherwise rot in the fields. Thanks to the Arkansas Gleaning Project, Alliance member food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens and other hunger agencies across the state are able to supplement their crucial offerings of canned, dry and frozen food with nutritious fresh produce from generous Arkansas growers.
When the Arkansas Gleaning Project began back in 2008 it was one of only a handful of such programs. Today, our program serves as a model for organizations across the nation that are looking for ways to increase the amount of low cost food available to help feed their underserved populations. Our Food Sourcing & Logistics Director, Michelle Shope, routinely provides information and guidance to other charitable non-profit organizations who are trying to start gleaning programs in their states.
The 2.8 cents per pound that it costs the program to provide fresh produce to our member agencies is a testament to the program’s efficiency. But to continue increasing the amount of fresh produce necessary to meet the growing demand, we need more growers to allow us into their fields after harvest, and more donors who recognize that their dollars can have a huge impact on the health and nutrition of Arkansas children and families. If you can help with either, contact Michelle Shope at mshope@arhungeralliance.org .