Gleaning Opportunities (Food Access)

Traditionally, the term “gleaning” was coined when farmers collected leftover crops from their fields after they had been commercially harvested. In modern times this practice continues with nonprofits who glean farms and farmers markets to feed the hungry and for-profits who glean to make value added products out of crops that would have otherwise been wasted. The following organizations provide gleaning opportunities for volunteers, products from gleaned items, and guidance to those interested in learning more about where and how to glean.

Arlington Food Assistance Center

logo for Arlington Food Assistance Center

Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) is a community-based non-profit that provides supplemental groceries to residents of Arlington in need. AFAC remains dedicated to its simple but critical mission of obtaining and distributing groceries, directly and free of charge, to people living in Arlington who cannot afford to purchase enough food to meet their basic needs.

Arlington Food Assistance Center

Bread for the City

logo for Bread for the City

The mission of Bread for the City is to provide vulnerable residents of Washington, DC with comprehensive services, including food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services, in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.

Bread for the City

Bread for the City - Specific Information on Gleaning Opportunities

Capital Area Food Bank

logo for Capital Area Food Bank

The Capital Area Food Bank is the largest organization in the Washington metro area working to solve hunger and its companion problems: chronic undernutrition, heart disease, and obesity. By partnering with 444 community organizations in DC, MD, and VA, as well as delivering food directly into hard to reach areas, the CAFB is helping 540,000 people each year get access to good, healthy food.

Capital Area Food Bank

DC Central Kitchen

logo for DC Central Kitchen

DC Central Kitchen is America’s leader in reducing hunger with recycled food, training unemployed adults for culinary careers, serving healthy school meals, and rebuilding urban food systems through social enterprise.

DC Central Kitchen

DC Central Kitchen - Specific Information on Gleaning Opportunities

Food Recovery Network

logo for Food Recovery Network

Food Recovery Network unites students on college campuses to fight food waste and hunger by recovering perishable food that would otherwise go to waste from their campuses and communities and donating it to people in need.

Food Recovery Network

Food Recovery Network - Specific Information on Gleaning Opportunities

FRESHFARM Markets

logo for FRESHFARM Markets

FreshFarm Markets strive to build and strengthen the local-food movement in the Chesapeake Bay region, using farmers markets to create vibrant urban and community places, providing economic opportunities for farmers and artisanal food producers and showcasing our region’s agricultural bounty. FRESHFARM Markets operates 11 producer-only farmers markets with more than 110 farmers and producers from 5 states who farm more than 9,000 acres.

FRESHFARM Markets

FRESHFARM Markets - Specific Information on Gleaning Opportunities

Fruit Cycle

logo for Fruit Cycle

Fruitcycle recovers fruit that would otherwise go to waste and produces healthy, locally-sourced snacks. We will also provide job training opportunities for formerly incarcerated, homeless or otherwise at-risk women.

Fruit Cycle

Iona’s Senior Services

logo for Iona’s Senior Services

In Washington DC, Iona Senior Services has a Farm-to-Table program that partners with farmers markets. They glean leftober produce at DC farmers market. The food is sorted, weighed and then distributed at a free market that is set-up and run every week at their congregate meal site. In addition, they hold cooking demonstrations, recipe distribution, and nutrition counseling on site. In addition every Saturday morning, Iona volunteers deliver meals to homebound older adults in northwest DC who are unable to prepare their own meals.

Iona’s Senior Services

Iona’s Senior Services - Specific Information on Gleaning Opportunities

Markets and More

logo for Markets and More

Markets & More, LLC is a a marketing and consulting company that runs farmers’ markets and consults on cookbooks, food-related businesses and food security. Our farmers’ markets are community-based, producer-only local markets that connect their communities with local farmers from our region, the Chesapeake Watershed.

Markets and More

Markets and More - Specific Information on Gleaning Opportunities

Mid Atlantic Gleaning Network

logo for Mid Atlantic Gleaning Network

The Gleaning Network links farmers who have crops that are edible but not marketable with those who distribute food to the needy through the work of volunteer gleaners. Their staff organizes teams of people to go to local farms to harvest fresh nutritious fruits and vegetables to be given to low income individuals, families, as well as agencies or communities that serve the hungry.

Mid Atlantic Gleaning Network

Mid Atlantic Gleaning Network - Specific Information on Gleaning Opportunities

Misfits Juicery

logo for Misfits Juicery

A food recovery company that uses recovered “misfit” fruit to make cold pressed juices for sale.

Misfits Juicery

Takoma Crossroads Community Food Network

logo for Takoma Crossroads Community Food Network

Crossroads Community Food Network is working to improve community health through local food access programs and education for at-risk populations in Maryland’s Takoma/Langley Crossroads area and beyond. Some of CCFN programs include a Farmers Market, healthy eating program, and a microenterprise training program.

Takoma Crossroads Community Food Network

Takoma Crossroads Community Food Network - Specific Information on Gleaning Opportunities

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