Recruiting Emergency Food Provider Partners

Recruitment:

Food agencies are any nonprofit organization that distributes food at no cost to the community, such as food pantries, food banks, soup kitchens, and sharing centers/thrift stores. SoSA finds new agencies through online resources and previous history records to determine where the produce should go. SoSA’s database requires this information from all agencies:

Name, phone number, and email address of the contact person

Type of agency (shelter, soup kitchen, etc.)

Location

The amount of storage, both cold and dry.

The days and hours of operation

The days and times that the agency distributes food.

If transportation is available and what kind (pickup trucks, box trucks, semis, etc.)

If the agency is a “middle man” and distributes produce to any other agencies in the area. This is to insure that you do not duplicate such distribution.

This information is vital to identifying who is the best pick for the current gleaning. Questions to consider when deciding who will take the donations are how much produce is expected to be gleaned, number of volunteers, distance, duration, and how quickly the agency can distribute.

Other resources such as AmpleHarvest.org and FoodPantries.org will show a large list of agencies that will receive food donations based on location.

Engagement:

One week prior to a glean, based on the information in the database, several agencies should be contacted to find a distributor willing to come out to pick up or that can receive a produce drop off. Contact the agencies through a phone call or email (the best mode of communication is the one they use), and set up the date and time for a glean. Following up is very important and is the VISTA’s responsibility and not the agencies to stay updated. At least one day before the event, follow up with the agency to confirm they will be available. Having the driver’s contact number will be good to have in case they need directions or special information about the farm. Ask if the agency can weigh the produce for an accurate record of pounds collected, or otherwise use estimations. If the agency gives donation receipts, keep a copy along with a gleaning form that tracks how many volunteers, how many pounds, farm location and agencies involved. Containers donated by the farms or agencies should also be recorded as in-kind donations.

National Site: Society of St. Andrew FL

Website

https://endhunger.org/florida/

The Society of Saint Andrew (SoSA) can trace its humble origins to two families and a sheep shed in Big Island, Virginia in 1973. From these roots, the nation’s premier food rescue nonprofit has blossomed. SoSA’s primary function is gleaning, going into a field to harvest leftover or unwanted produce, and then giving this food to agencies free of charge. Additionally, SoSA has the Potato & Produce project, gathering truckloads of produce for distribution, and the Harvest of Hope, a retreat program for long-distance volunteers to glean and serve. Since 1995, the Society of Saint Andrew has maintained a presence throughout the state of Florida. The primary program, the Florida Gleaning Network, mobilizes over 3 thousand volunteers to gather 4 to 6 million pounds of produce annually. The Sunshine State is a veritable agricultural cornucopia, providing such produce as: onions, white potatoes, bok choy, peaches, pears, strawberries, cabbage, lemons, cucumbers, squash, starfruit, oranges, avocados, and the infamous Zellwood sweet corn.

The Florida office is located in Orlando and oversees all projects and events for the state. The state office team holds three full-time staff: the State Director, a Program Coordinator, and a Harvest Against Hunger AmeriCorps VISTA. The state is sectioned off into geographical regions: South, East, West, West Central, Central, and the Panhandle. Each area holds a satellite gleaning coordinator position who works part-time to carry out gleans in the district.