Fruit Gleaning Captains needed at the Richmond Food Security Society!
By Hajira Hussain in How You Can Help on June 25, 2019
If you love the idea of picking fruit on a sunny day, making new friends, and helping a great cause all at the same time, look no further! The Richmond Food Security Society has the ideal volunteer position for you with the Richmond Fruit Recovery Program. Not only will you prevent food waste, you’ll help the Richmond Food Bank to be able to give out high-quality, delicious, healthy fruit to its clients. Read on to find out more and to get involved.
Each year, the Richmond Food Security Society – a valued partner and frequent donor to the Richmond Food Bank – coordinates fruit picks throughout Richmond. Many Richmond residents who have fruit trees on their property cannot use the entire crop, so they invite others to pick the excess fruit to be donated. The Richmond Food Bank is very grateful to be a recipient of the fruit gleaned from this program. (Fruit tree owners: you can register your fruit tree here. If you are a farmer* and would like to donate your fresh produce to the Food Bank, you may be eligible for a charitable tax receipt. You may also be eligible for the BC Farmers’ Food Donation Tax credit.)
Right now, the Richmond Food Security Society is especially looking for Volunteer Gleaning Captains – that could be you! See the details below (taken from the RFSS website), and apply online HERE.
Hours: Picks are from June to October; 3-4 hours including travel
Location: Various locations around Richmond
Reports to: Program Coordinator
Application Deadline: On-going
Tasks
– Pick up boxes, tools, and location details from program coordinator
– Arrive early, set up, and orient yourself with the property
– Provide a brief safety orientation with sheets and explain fruit gleaning to the volunteers
– Organize, and supervise fruit picking volunteers during the fruit pick
– Pick fruit
– Take photos of the volunteers in action (optional)
– Record data including: total pounds of fruit picked, volunteers present, and volunteer hours and deliver to Program Coordinator
– Deliver fruit to the Food Bank or other community partner
– Return equipment to RFSS shed at the end of the pick
Qualifications
– Love picking fruit and be as excited about gleaning as we are
– Be respectful of tree-owners’ property and privacy; be able to represent RFSS well
– Be comfortable and physically able to work outside and lift heavy boxes
– Be able to follow and relay safety instructions; collaborate well with your gleaning team
– Drivers license and either a vehicle (mileage will be covered) or a modo vehicle can be provided
– Valid standard first-aid certification
– Criminal record check with vulnerable sector search
– At least 18 years old
– Cellphone
Time Commitment
– Minimum of 2 picks a month
– Each pick will take between 3-6 hours
– The fruit season runs from June to as late as November depending on weather
Find other volunteer positions at the Richmond Food Security Society here: https://www.richmondfoodsecurity.org/volunteer-opportunities/
*Besides receiving fresh produce from the Fruit Recovery Program, the Sharing Farm Society, and from local farmers, organizations and businesses, we are also honoured to receive donations from many private gardeners and community gardeners who have excess produce. These perishable donations can be dropped off at #100 – 5800 Cedarbridge Way during our regular hours of operation. Thank you to all of our donors!
