Carolinas Gleaning Network

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In 2023, through October:
4,252,623 pounds of food gleaned and distributed
17,010,492 servings of fresh food shared
974 events held to rescue and share food
7,945 volunteers engaged in hands-on service
371 recipient agencies and partners

Help Feed Hungry Families In The Carolinas

Since 1992, The Society of St. Andrew has coordinated a statewide, volunteer-driven Gleaning Network across the Carolinas that coordinates with local farmers, thousands of volunteers, and food-providing agencies.

Read the Carolinas Annual Summary Meet The Staff

SoSA’s Gleaning Network— and your community— need you to serve in the mission to prevent good food from being lost as food waste and instead use it to feed hungry people across the region.

Across America, 30,000-40,000 people volunteer to glean for SoSA every year. From apples and blueberries, to squash and pumpkins, SoSA volunteers glean every fruit and vegetable grown in the United States. We do backyard gleanings of fruit trees, orchard and field gleanings – wherever food is grown, we will glean.

SoSA volunteers also volunteer at “Crop Drops”, packaging and transporting potatoes and a variety of other produce types “dropped” in their church parking lots. Additionally, we partner with area farmers that provide volunteer opportunities throughout the growing season and give us the opportunity to obtain some of the harvest as well as the gleaned crops. 

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Each year SoSA coordinates thousands of volunteers to glean millions of pounds of farm-fresh fruits and vegetables across North & South Carolina. Please join us in this exciting hands-on ministry!

SoSA’s Gleaning Network steps in at any point, or location, where good food is at risk for being lost as foodwaste. Typically, more than five million pounds of fresh produce can be rescued and shared each year, with communities that need it most. In this agriculturally diverse region, SoSA’s volunteers work to rescue everything from strawberries to sweet potatoes to collard greens; staying busy almost year round.

SoSA volunteers across the state actually enter fields after farmers finish the commercial harvest to pick, dig, and gather the tons of good produce left behind. These volunteers range in ages and motivations, representing groups from various church denominations, synagogues, youth groups, other civic organizations, individuals, and inner-city residents. However, each SoSA volunteer is alike in their commitment to do what it takes to bridge the gap between farms with surplus food and neighbors with bare cupboards.

Would you prefer to make a financial donation?

SoSA depends on donations from churches, individuals, and foundations to sustain our programs. We operate with a firm belief in good stewardship. About 95% of our total income is directly invested into packaging and transporting produce, so your donations go directly into feeding people in need.

Furthermore, we don’t waste money duplicating efforts and processes already in place in food banks and agencies. Instead, we seek to increase efficiencies by partnering with them to provide wholesome, nutritious food to those in need.

Would you like to donate food, crops, or invite gleaners to your fields?

We partner with farmers, growers, packers, and other produce handlers to turn culled and graded-out produce into nutritious, healthy meals for millions of impoverished Americans.

Through SoSA’s Potato and Produce Project, farmers, growers and other food sources donate semi-trailer loads of culled or graded-out produce that we deliver directly to food banks capable of their distribution.

SoSA coordinates the logistics of food donated to local grassroots organizations (like churches) that provide volunteers to package and deliver it to food banks, pantries, and other feeding agencies as part of their community outreach programs. Farmers and growers can also participate in our Gleaning Network by donating their fields and orchards after their harvest. This allows SoSA volunteers to come in and glean what’s left by the harvesting equipment or workers.

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How can your congregation or faith community get involved?

SoSA works to establish a community of love and to support lives of service and action, according to the Gospel witness. If you or your faith community are interested in using free spiritual resources, learning more about hunger and food waste, or requesting a SoSA staff member speak at your congregation, send us a message today!

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