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Harvesting for the Hungry

A Good Idea

Description

Harvesting for the Hungry coordinates volunteer harvesting teams to pick fruit from local backyards and small orchards and distributes the food to community charitable food organizations. Homeowners benefit from the removal of fruit from their yards, and the local community receives the donation of food for those in need.

Goal / Mission

The program's mission is to bring community members together to provide food for the hungry by promoting sustainable use of excess resources.

Results / Accomplishments

Since 2001, Harvesting for the Hungry has delivered 1.98 million 6 oz. servings of fruit for the hungry. In 2008, over 430 volunteers harvested 122,000 lbs of fruit that was donated to more than 15 food agencies in the Bay Area.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Village Harvest
Primary Contact
Joni Diserens, Founder, Executive Director
P.O. Box 9231
San Jose, CA 95157
(408) 799-7507
joni@villageharvest.org
http://www.villageharvest.org
Topics
Community / Civic Engagement
Health / Physical Activity
Environmental Health / Built Environment
Organization(s)
Village Harvest
Date of publication
2009
Date of implementation
2001
Location
San Jose
Additional Audience
Economically disadvantaged

Related Promising Practices

  1. BackPack Program
  2. Blessings in a Backpack
  3. Portland Fruit Tree Project
  4. Rock and Wrap It Up!
  5. The Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition
  6. Community Nutrition and Urban Gardening

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A Good Idea meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program funding source, program implementation steps and outcomes.
  2. The program evaluation is limited to descriptive measure(s) of success/accomplishment (i.e., program participation rates, number of services/education sessions/radio messages provided). Note: oftentimes, the program has been newly implemented and a program evaluation has not yet been conducted. Programs that have not yet been evaluated, but which show promise in improving health or quality of life, are classified as Good Ideas until an evaluation is conducted.