The Society of St. Andrew
(Gleaning America’s Fields – Feeding America’s Hungry)
Looking for hands-on, in-person opportunities to serve? Look for an office near you at: https://EndHunger.org/regions.
You can also see what special programs are featured this season on the national homepage: EndHunger.org
If you’re searching for overnight, educational mission trips then be sure to check out the newly relaunched Harvest of Hope program. (These trips are held in the Summer, Fall and over Spring Break; in various locations throughout the U.S.)
To check out the latest schedule of Harvest of Hope Mission Trips, check out the UCC listing page.
Mission Statement: The Society of St. Andrew brings people together to harvest and share healthy food, reduce food waste, and build caring communities by offering nourishment to hungry neighbors.
Project/Focus: The Society of St. Andrew operates various programs to strategically and efficiently coordinate volunteers, growers, and recipient agencies to glean and share farm-fresh food with families in need— who might otherwise go without access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Educational/Advocacy Components: The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) focuses on living out the values of:
- Stewardship
- Recognizing Abundance
- Service To Others
One major area where food is lost as waste is right in the farmers’ fields, where crops that don’t meet top-grade quality are often left behind, overlooked, or to plowed under.
Gleaning is the traditional biblical practice of picking, digging, and gathering crops that would otherwise be left in the fields— and lost as waste— after harvest.
Time: Most gleaning events are scheduled in the morning, to avoid the heat of the day; and typically last three to four hours— wrapping up by lunch to beat the afternoon heat. Most commonly gleanings are scheduled on Saturday mornings when volunteers are routinely available. However, it is becoming quite common for volunteers to request opportunities to serve during weekdays. Accommodations are usually able to be made.
Minimum Age: People of all ages can glean. You should keep in mind that there is some amount of bending, stooping, and kneeling involved in harvesting certain crops from the ground.
Also, children under the age of 18 years old must have an adult, guardian, or supervision of some sort. If you’re interested in joining other gleaning groupus, that’s possible! Or if you’d prefer to schedule a private volunteering opportunity for your group, please contact SoSA’s National Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@endhunger.org or by calling 800-333-4597.
Other Volunteer Opportunities by state and focus below: