The Full Circle of GleanSLO produce
I love gleaning… the concept, the actual work, and the great resulting benefits to the community. I’ve always disliked all the waste that occurs in our society (in the midst of real need), and so the concept of GleanSLO was an automatic winner in my book. Having been involved with the Steering Committee from early on in 2010 (even before it became a Food Bank program), I also got to feel personally how fun and healthy it is to volunteer in the fields and orchards. But as a Food Bank staff person, I am only now finally seeing just what an amazing benefit it is to our community. To see how the fresh local produce goes to kids lunches, or senior meals, or filling up wonderful boxes that are distributed to the needy, I can now see the full circle of GleanSLO. So I pick the apple, box it, and drive the truck to the Food Bank as a volunteer. And then as a staff member I also get to see the kids and adults eating or happily receiving the thing that I just hand picked.