Did you know that the United States has 96 billion pounds of food waste every year? By rescuing food that would otherwise have gone to waste, food recovery programs can provide nutritious meals, protect the environment, and save money. Gleaning increases the amount of fresh produce available to low-income people by taking advantage of the farmers’ surplus. Community members harvest the produce that would otherwise go unused from local farms willing to donate their extra fruits and veggies. Food rescue programs also involve gathering fresh and non-perishable food from restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, and cafeterias that has not been sold. City Harvest in New York City gathers a “second harvest” of several million pounds of food each year for distribution to low-income people! For more information, the USDA has A Citizen’s Guide to Food Recovery available on the web or call the USDA at 518/765-2326.

Hunger Action's Student Guide to Gleaning Fresh Produce in New York

CSA Farm Shares Surplus With Low-Income Community