Overabundance and Falling Fruit
I know some of you are the recipients of a bountiful harvest in your
gardens each year. I know this because I have often seen the sharing as you've
brought tomatoes, cucumbers, figs, persimmons, oranges and assorted produce to
Fellowship Hall to share. There may be some of you like Terry and I who
haven't had time to pick the citrus on our tree and it often goes to waste.
There is a solution!
I visited the Second Harvest Food Bank recently as I am doing a paper on
hunger in Santa Clara County. I talked with the individuals who run the
Gleaning and Plant A Row projects, in addition to some of the volunteers
there. It is amazing to know that many tons of fruit and vegetables brought in
by individual donors are immediately turned around and distributed to seniors,
emergency food programs and others who know the fear of being hungry.
There is a bin in the lobby of the Food Bank where individuals can drop off
produce at any time. A dozen oranges, lemons, tomatoes…it doesn't matter as
it all adds up in solving the hunger problem in this valley. The Food Bank is
at 750 Curtner, just off of Almaden Expressway on the right. If you have
produce that you'd like to donate and you can't deliver it to the Food Bank
while it is still fresh, please contact me and I will deliver it for you. I
can be reached at 268-1203 or robinroot@yahoo.com.
Another interesting organization that also harvests food from backyard
gardens is called Village Harvest. If you are interested in checking them out
and seeing if their drop-off locations are more convenient for you, please
visit their website www.villageharvest.com. If you want more information about
their work, you can contact the woman who started this program, Joannie
Diserense at info@villageharvest.org.
Robin Root
May 2003
