GAP: A LOOK BACK AT 2018

Another year behind us and another bountiful harvest season has come and gone! 2018 marks five full years since the start of the Gleaning Abundance Program and our numbers are pretty impressive – over 100,000 lbs of fruit harvested and shared throughout the community since 2013! Our impact is more than just statistics though – we know that our work makes a difference in many small, but intangible ways, from the appreciation shown by homeowners knowing their fruit will be harvested and put to good use to the delight of recipients when we show up with boxes of the fresh-picked fruit. 

One of the greatest joys for me, as the GAP coordinator for the past five years, is the sense of community that has been created. I know a lot of our members have made connections with fellow gleaners, and I find it so gratifying when I go to a harvest and realize a lot of the crew already know each other. Some of them have made friends and get together outside of GAP activities. Another thing that I really noticed this year is how, over time, the gleaning crews have become like a well-oiled machine. Many people have been at it for several years and know the routine like the back of their hand. Before you know it, the harvest has been weighed, the ladders loaded, and the yard cleaned up!

We know we’re not perfect and there’s always room for improvement. We’d like to tap into the knowledge and experience of our volunteers to guide us going forward into the next five years. In the coming weeks, we’ll be asking for your input, likely through an online survey, and we hope you’ll take the time to share your insights and suggestions so we can continue to grow and serve the needs of everyone involved.

In the meantime . . .