| Our mission | Food Forward fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people experiencing food insecurity, and inspiring others to do the same. |
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| Impact Stories |
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Food Forward
| Ways to help |
Fight Hunger and Food Waste at the Santa Monica Wednesday Farmers Market!
Who: Glean Team Leaders (GTLs) are trained volunteers who collect produce at Farmers Market “gleaning” events. If you are passionate about fighting hunger and food waste in your own community and are detail-oriented, you will love being a Glean Team Leader! You must be at least 16 years old to train as a GTL, and… See full description
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Community AmbassadorA Community Ambassador is the grassroots outreach volunteer that links Food Forward and its mission to their local neighborhood. Community Ambassadors act as the Food Forward face and voice to local government, educational, religious, public, and private groups and institutions through presentations, networking, electronic communication, or tabling at events. This opportunity is perfect for the social activist who wants to manage their own schedule independently and feels comfortable with public speaking, research, and securing community involvement with Food Forward's programs.Farmers Market Recovery GleanYou will meet the volunteer team at a designated time and place at the market. A Volunteer Glean Team Leader provides an orientation before the glean begins. Volunteers walk through the market with empty Food Forward boxes, distributing them to any produce vendors wishing to make a donation. The vendors are usually familiar with Food Forward and, if they have excess produce, will gladly donate it. There is usually a brief break to shop or eat, and then volunteers meet up again to collect the boxes full of fresh, delicious food!Backyard Fruit HarvestVolunteers meet the Pick Leader at the designated time and receive an orientation on safe harvesting techniques. Depending on what we’re picking, we will supply fruit pickers, clippers, gloves, harvest bags and ladders, which volunteers use to pick as much fruit as possible. When the harvest wraps up, volunteers will help to load up a vehicle with boxes, pick up the equipment and, generally, leave the property as we found it.Volunteer PhotographerWe are looking for a volunteer with a creative eye to bring their photography skills to Food Forward and capture images for our social media, newsletters, website, flyers, and other outreach materials. With a growing number of events, we want to capture all of the hard work our volunteers put in to share with with our community! This position is designed to be highly flexible: events can chosen according to the person’s own schedule and location, but may be dependent on organizational needs.Backyard Harvest Pick LeaderPick Leaders are volunteers who are Food Forward ambassadors out in the field. Every fruit harvest is led by a Pick Leader. This highly rewarding leadership position ensures that each harvest is fun, safe, and organized. Pick Leaders choose to lead a harvest from a list of pre-vetted properties in neighborhoods all throughout Los Angeles. Logistics are coordinated by Food Forward staff, and Pick Leaders execute and oversee each pick. Additional responsibilities include recapping the pick by filling out a post-event report.Group VolunteeringVolunteering at a Food Forward event with friends, family, and co-workers is a fruitful way to spend a day! Depending on the size of your group and your location, we have several options to get involved as a team. Our public fruit picking events are scheduled when fruit is ripe and a volunteer Event Leader is available. Folks can sign up individually for the same event! Most larger harvests take place from February – June on weekends in Ventura County, and we can rarely accommodate groups larger than 10.Farmers Market Glean Team LeaderGlean Team Leaders (GTLs) are volunteer Food Forward representatives who lead their chosen market's Farmers Market Recovery team. The GTL represents Food Forward at the market community and acts as the point person for volunteers, market staff, vendors, and/or receiving agencies. Additional responsibilities include training new volunteers, caring for and organizing market glean equipment, familiarizing yourself with the agencies receiving the produce and making sure they are getting their designated donations, and recapping the glean by filling out a post-event report. |
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| How you help | Every day in 2023, Food Forward distributes enough fruits and vegetables to meet the daily recommended nutritional needs of nearly 250,000 people |
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| About us | Food Forward collects surplus fruits and vegetables through three programs: Backyard Harvest, Farmers Market Recovery, and Wholesale Produce Recovery. All produce is delivered to over 250 hunger relief organizations, across 300 distribution sites. The food we recover reaches 8 Southern California counties, as well as 6 neighboring states and tribal lands. |
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