Christina Sarich, Natural Society
Waking Times
Through the efforts of just over a dozen volunteers, thousands of pounds of fresh fruit are being gleaned from historical orchards planted more than 150 years ago to give to nearby residents who live with less than enough food. Individuals who give back to the community often stock the pantries of those who are food-insecure during the holidays, but it is a relatively new phenomenon for those who can’t afford groceries to be given expensive or organic produce.
One group putting forth efforts to feed the homeless with high-quality produce is Village Harvest. Village Harvest began with the efforts of Craig Diserns, who thought backyard produce could be gathered to give to the homeless and food-insecure. His backyard efforts have turned into a huge harvesting of persimmons this year, which were crated by volunteers and taken to families residing near the private property where the fruit was picked.
