"The East Bay has an abundance of fruit trees, much of it in people's yards. And each year, many household trees bear too much for one family to consume. This year, with recent cuts and pauses to SNAP and CalFresh benefits, the need to collect and channel that bounty to those in need around the East Bay has become even more acute."
""We're largely picking from people's private yards and bringing [the fruits] to the public," said Lio Min, who co-leads the Oakland Gleaners with Laura Sanchez. "It feels good to physically contribute in that way." Sonja Simmons, a former Oakland resident who volunteered with Alameda's Project Pick starting in 2015, founded the Oakland Gleaners in 2019 with encouragement and support from the Alameda group."
Four volunteers gleaned apples from a tall, slim backyard tree using long pole pickers with claw-like cages, collecting fruit that extended over a roof. The homeowner encouraged them to take as many apples as they could distribute. The East Bay has an abundance of fruit trees in private yards, and many household trees produce more fruit than one family can consume. Recent cuts and pauses to SNAP and CalFresh benefits and rising grocery costs have increased demand for redistributed produce. Two volunteer-run groups, Oakland Gleaners and Alameda's Project Pick, coordinate backyard pickups and distribution. Leaders include Sonja Simmons, Laura Sanchez, and Lio Min.
Read at The Oaklandside
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