Gleaning Network

When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all your undertakings.   Deuteronomy 24:19 (NRSV)

Gleaning is the traditional Biblical practice of gathering crops that would otherwise be left in the fields to rot or be plowed under after harvest: Because the food is unmarketable, some growers allow crews of gleaners to pick what is left after harvest to donate to those who are needy.

The Gleaning Network is a project of the Society of St. Andrew that coordinates volunteers, growers, and distribution agencies to salvage food for the needy. Tens of thousands of volunteers from churches, synagogues, scout troops, senior citizen groups, and other organizations participate each year in Society of St. Andrew gleaning activities. Each year tens of millions of pounds of produce are salvaged and given to the poor at no cost to them.

Gleaners are people of all ages and income levels who want to give of themselves. Within 48 hours of picking the produce, hungry Americans are usually eating the gleaned food.

Each year some 30,000 people go gleaning with us to pick up over 15 million pounds of fresh, nutritious food for their hungry neighbors. You can explore where we glean by following this link.