Complete the form on this page to request food from SoSA. (The program coordinator for your region will follow up afterward to discuss the possibilities.) How Does It Work? What Sets SoSA Apart? Who Receives The Food? The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) does not discriminate what people or organizations receive gleaned food based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, or religious affiliation. Key factors that determine where food is shared include, but are not limited to, the following: What is Gleaning? At The Society of St. Andrew, we work with farmers who allow gleaners to pick what is left. The Society of St. Andrew also salvages fruits and vegetables that have already been picked and cannot be sold for various reasons. Who are Gleaners?Hunger Relief Agencies & Organizations
SoSA is the nation’s largest gleaner of fresh produce. We salvage produce at the farm and packing-house level that cannot be sold due to market constraints. We supply fresh vegetables and fruit that helps to improve the health and well-being of society’s most vulnerable. We have no handling fees – there is no cost to the agencies for the food we provide, helping to stretch tight budgets. The environment benefits; the food we salvage by the tractor-trailer load does not end up in landfills, but on the plates of the hungry.
The produce collected by SoSA’s volunteer gleaners, and the food received as donations from growers and packing houses, go to food pantries, food banks, low-income and elderly housing complexes, social service agencies, group homes, homeless shelters, rehab facilities, and more. Within 24-48 hours of picking, you can distribute the produce to hungry people in your community.
Gleaning is an ancient tradition mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible. Gleaners are allowed into fields and orchards to pick fruits and vegetables after the grower’s harvest. One-quarter of all food produced for human consumption is lost annually in the United States – enough to feed about 50 million people Since it might be unmarketable or not worth picking for market reasons, produce is sometimes plowed under or left to rot, though it is perfectly edible and nutritious.
They are people of all ages, rich and poor, who want to give of their time. We connect individuals, faith groups, scout troops, clubs, schools, and senior citizen groups with growers.
Note: (In Virginia only, cities are not inside counties- enter the county you are most closely associated with.)