Harvesting leaders needed in Vancouver

By Erika Johnson

Have you ever noticed fruit falling onto the ground from the trees of your neighbors and thought to yourself “What a waste.”

Vancouver’s newest food security program, Urban Abundance, is looking for six volunteer harvest crew leaders to help get this valuable resource harvested and into the hands of hungry neighbors. Urban Abundance is hosting a harvest crew leader training and orientation on August 20, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Urban Abundance’s mission is connecting people to create a secure food future. Its projects involve planning, planting, harvesting, and sharing stories as a means to localize the food system.

The group’s Harvesting the Urban Orchard program enlists community volunteers in the harvest of fruit and nut trees of neighbors who are unable or uninterested in harvesting it themselves. At least half of the fruit is donated to people in need through Vancouver’s emergency food system. The other half goes to the volunteer harvesters for their personal use.

At the harvest crew leader volunteer orientation and training on August 20, volunteers will be provided with all the skills necessary to co-lead three or more harvest events this late summer and fall. Harvests typically take place on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and some weekdays from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.

Contact Erika Johnson at [email protected] for more information or to sign up for the training.

–Johnson is a Neighborhood Coordinator and Crew Leader for Friends of Trees.