Food Forward's Summer Harvests are Pickin' Up in Altadena

It’s that time of year again, when Angelinos begin to realize just how lucky we are to live in a region where abundance grows right in our backyards.

No, money doesn’t grow on trees. But all across Altadena, thousands of oranges, grapefruits, lemons, peaches, plums, apricots, pears, and figs are beginning to ripen. The weather in Los Angeles creates prime growing conditions, resulting in healthy trees that often produce more than the owners can eat or share with friends and neighbors.

The bounty on the branches hangs in stark contrast to LA’s serious problem of food insecurity. One in six adults and one in four children in LA County are food insecure, meaning they don’t get enough nutritious food to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. This is where Food Forward comes in, bringing communities together by connecting those with abundance to those who need it the most.

Since 2009, Food Forward has been rescuing fresh local produce that would otherwise go to waste and donating 100% of the food to people in need. When a donor in the neighborhood has fruit to spare, Food Forward organizes volunteers from the local community to pick it, provides harvesting equipment and a trained leader as support, and then arranges for a local food pantry to receive the fruit donation. As the largest non-profit produce gleaning organization in Southern California, Food Forward has collected 10 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables through its Backyard Harvest, Farmers Market Recovery and Wholesale Market Recovery Programs and engaged 6,000 volunteers at over a thousand properties and 15 farmers markets across LA and Ventura counties. All of this nutritious fare helps to feed 100,000 Southern Californians each month through 200 diverse receiving agencies.

This season, Food Forward is working to expand its harvesting efforts in Altadena and is seeking volunteers and homeowners wishing to donate their backyard fruit. On Saturday, June 27th, Food Forward is hosting a Community Harvest in Altadena at 4 - 6 different properties with over 20 volunteers helping out. If you would like to donate your fruit, please register your tree at: foodforward.org/get-involved/property-owners/. Anyone interested in volunteering can check out foodforward.org/events to find a pick or farmers market glean happening close by; Food Forward’s volunteer opportunities are fun and highly rewarding, so grab a friend or two and help to fight hunger in your community!

Emily Bell, San Gabriel Valley Branch Lead, oxy@foodforward.org