Did you know about the Neighborhood Gleaners, who collect unsold produce each Saturday at HFM and distribute it to low-income seniors?
Strolling through the market, you may have noticed a group of people wandering around in black aprons chatting with vendors. You may also have seen them enjoying some of the delightful cooked fare at the tables. What you probably haven’t seen is that group in action.
The group is called the Neighborhood Gleaners, and they are a group of volunteers who collect unsold food and produce from the market. All food that is collected is distributed to low income seniors in the neighborhood through a partnership between the Hollywood Senior Center and the Hollywood Farmers Market.
Hollywood Gleaners began in 2011, to address the increasing need for seniors to gain access to high quality food that would otherwise be unaffordable. Through careful brainstorming between all of the involved groups, it was decided that the program would need to address hunger for both cooking and non-cooking seniors, to be able to handle large amounts of food with as little waste as possible, and to be designed for ultimate sustainability. Those goals still define the project.
Since May of 2011, Gleaners have collected tens of thousands of pounds of food for seniors. In addition to distributing food directly to people in need, volunteers freeze or preserve food that otherwise wouldn’t make it from Saturday until Monday without spoiling. One November found volunteers using vegetable scraps for broth and frozen vegetables and sausages for soup that was served to the seniors for their Thanksgiving meal. A group of college volunteers created a mixed fruit jam from one summer’s frozen fruit. Waste not, want not!The Gleaners have seen great success in their mission, but are still looking for more help. Specifically, they need volunteers for Monday morning, to help with the produce distribution at the Senior Center. They also would love some help with more programmatic aspects, like marketing and fundraising. And if you have any reusable bags that you don’t need, they are always needed by the Gleaners. You can contact Heather at gleaners@hollywoodseniorcenter.org, and you can bring reusable bags to the HFM information booth.
