Again this year, the Rotary Club of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) is partnering with City Fruit and local food banks to harvest fruit from the yards of homeowners who can’t consume everything grown on their property. Here’s what they’re looking for and how to sign up:
Got Fruit? West Seattle Residents Invited to Share Backyard Harvest with Local Food Banks
If you have an apple, pear, plum, quince, or grapevine producing more fruit than you can use, West Seattle volunteers are ready to help.
The Rotary Club of West Seattle is once again hosting West Seattle Community Gleaning Days on Sunday, August 16 and Sunday, September 13, collecting surplus backyard fruit and delivering it to the West Seattle Food Bank and White Center Food Bank, where it will help stock shelves with fresh, healthy produce for local families.
Thousands of pounds of perfectly good fruit go unpicked across West Seattle every year. Through this community effort, trained volunteers harvest ripe fruit that would otherwise fall to the ground, ensuring it nourishes neighbors instead of going to waste.
Homeowners with fruit trees or vines are encouraged to sign up – even if they have just one tree.
“Backyard fruit is one of West Seattle’s hidden community resources,” said Mike Price of the Rotary Club of West Seattle, who is helping lead the Community Gleaning Days effort. “Community Gleaning Days connect homeowners who have fruit to share with volunteers who harvest it and deliver it to local food banks, helping ensure fresh produce nourishes neighbors instead of going to waste.”
The program is seeking trees and vines with ripe:
Apples
Pears
Plums
Quince
GrapesInterested homeowners can complete the online Gleaning Interest Form by visiting the registration link.
West Seattle Community Gleaning Days is sponsored by the Rotary Club of West Seattle in partnership with City Fruit, Scouting America Chief Seattle Council, West Seattle Food Bank, and White Center Food Bank.
