The Delmarva Gleaning Network

In 2022, through November:
131,813 pounds of food gleaned and distributed
527,252 servings of fresh food shared
23 events held to rescue and share food
51 volunteers engaged in hands-on service
20 recipient agencies and partners

The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) is expanding across the Delaware, Maryland, and Eastern Shore of Virginia.

This new region (conveniently known as Delmarva) is ripe with opportunities for you and yours to rescue food and feed hungry families in great need.

SoSA staff in this region coordinate, equip, and lead volunteers to enter farm fields after the commercial harvest and simply pick up the tons of good, edible produce left behind.

Sign up today to be a SoSA volunteer!

Volunteers represent groups from various backgrounds, including assorted church denominations, synagogues, youth groups, other civic organizations, individuals, and inner-city residents.

All you need is a desire to prevent waste, feed hungry families, and work together with others in your region.

It takes many volunteers— serving in a variety of roles— to rescue and share so much food and your community needs your help. Will you join SoSA in this exciting hands-on ministry?

Each year, SoSA deploys and coordinates hundreds of volunteers to glean millions of pounds of farm-fresh food across the nation. You’re invited to join in this exciting hands-on ministry!

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SoSA is an interfaith and ecumenical nonprofit. As such, SoSA volunteers represent groups (urban and rural) from various faiths, youth groups, and civic organizations— as well as multiple individuals who are simply enthusiastic about harvesting and redistributing locally grown food to their food-insecure neighbors.

Currently, most gleaning events take place on weekday mornings (As the network grows, there will be more weekend, weekday, and evening gleaning events.). The growing season is busiest from May to September.

There will also be recurrent opportunities glean from local farmers’ markets too!

Your help can strengthen and grow SoSA’s Gleaning presence in the Delmarva region. If you are interested in this particular opportunity, please get in touch with SoSA’s Delmarva Regional Director— contact info can be found on this page.

Serving is easy! The Society of St. Andrew makes all arrangements with farmers and hunger relief organizations for redistribution of gleaned food. All the volunteer gleaners need to do is show up and work.

Often, SoSA works to donate to hunger relief agencies within the county where food was gleaned. Volunteer groups may take food back to agencies or programs that they support in their local area. (If you would like to do this for your agency, please get in touch with SoSA.) Volunteers are not asked to commit more than 2-3 hours at a time.

SoSA welcomes volunteers of all abilities.
Please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator if you would like to volunteer in another capacity. We may have administrative tasks or other opportunities that can be done outside of the fields.
Learn more about volunteer roles.

The Society of St. Andrew makes all of the arrangements with farmers, produce containers, and food distribution. All you as a volunteer need to do is come out and serve your neighbors in need. Volunteers and groups are also welcome— and encouraged— to take food back to agencies or programs that they support in their local area.

People of all ages can glean. Gleaners should be able to bend over and should be able to bend and lift several pounds of produce. Most gleaning events are scheduled in the morning and can last three to four hours. Gleanings are scheduled on weekdays and on Saturdays. It just depends on the crop, farm schedule, volunteer availability, and a host of other factors.

Check Out SoSA In The News


Link	Summary
Read Story	This article from the Bay to Bay News summarizes why SoSA exists, how it works, and how YOU can get involved. Siers said. “If a farmer calls and has food available, we need volunteers to glean, drivers to transport and agencies to distribute it quickly. The more volunteers we have, the better our network becomes, and the more people we can help feed.”
Read More	This article highlights how SoSA partners with local community-based organizations to distribute fresh food to areas of high need. “Watermelons, beans, corn, tomatoes and more were distributed by the tens of thousands of pounds to those in need in the diocese.”