Organization has new van thanks to community donations
Two weeks ago, Farm to Pantry hit 100 tons of gleaned and donated produce. The volunteer organization is nearly seven years old and harvests surplus produce, supporting local programs that provide food to local communities. Volunteers were harvesting chard when they hit the 100-ton mark. The organization also has its own new Nissan cargo van, all thanks to community donations.
“It’s kind of unbelievable,” Farm to Pantry founder and executive director Melita Love said about gleaning 100 tons of produce. “It feels like it’s such a community accomplishment. We couldn’t have done this by ourselves; it’s because we have all the different farmers who donate their produce and invite us in, the orchard owners who call us to come over, the school groups we take out and the crew from Becoming Independent,” Love said. “Between the different groups of volunteers, the properties we go to and all the programs we serve, there is a lot of community.”
Love said that the organization mostly harvests produce, and sometimes will pick up produce. “We organize volunteers to go to local gardens, farms and orchards to harvest what may go to waste. We take it almost immediately to the Healdsburg Food Pantry, the Redwood Empire Food Bank and other organizations that feed populations that might be in need.” Love said that over half of what the group gleans has historically gone to the Healdsburg Food Pantry, operated by Shared Ministries, a group of local churches.
Healdsburg Food Pantry board member Susan Graf said the food pantry benefits from everything Farm to Pantry gleans. “The food we’re giving out is more balanced, it’s not just rice and beans and day old bread – it’s fresh produce.” She said that Farm to Pantry volunteers will even come in to the pantry and show people waiting in line how to prepare the produce.
Love said that Farm to Pantry has harvested over 50 different varieties of produce, and although gleaning is year round, the primary harvest season is from August to October. The group gleans at least twice a week.
Several months ago, Farm to Pantry contacted Graf and asked for her help with fundraising for a van. Graf started making connections and found a van. Half of the funds were raised from private donors and the food pantry and the remainder was raised at a recent Farm to Pantry fundraiser held in June, Graf said.
The Nissan NV200 cost around $25,000, Graf said. Farm to Pantry picked it up in late July. “More produce can be picked up and delivered to places like the senior center, food pantry and Boys & Girls Club,” Graf said about the van.
Farm to Pantry program director Dani Wilcox said the van is helping to spread awareness, volunteers don’t have to put mileage on personal vehicles and it’s convenient and efficient to use for gleaning.
Farm to Pantry is always looking for volunteers and sturdy boxes. Additionally, Love said the nonprofit is looking to build relationships with organizations in town who may want to send a group out gleaning. Farm to Pantry would like to get in contact with people who have property with surplus produce – farms, orchards and backyard gardens. If interested, email
gl******@fa**********.org
. For more information, visit www.farmtopantry.org.
