Who We Are!

Who We Are

We are a nonprofit tax-exempt charitable organization doing business under the Internal Revenue Service Code 501(c)(3).

We are Unique!

     We are a 100% ALL VOLUNTEER nonprofit organization made up of over 1100 members, ranging in age from 50 to 99, where NO ONE receives a salary. We are dedicated to helping alleviate hunger in our region by gleaning produce from harvested fields, salvaging food from the food industry and working to distribute millions of pounds of food to member charitable organizations for distribution to the needy. Each member pledges $4.00 a month to VOLUNTEER their time and talents!
   We were founded in 1976 with 30 members, meeting in a garage, to glean surplus fruits and vegetables from farmers' fields and orchards for their own use, with any surplus produce being donated to a local soup kitchen.
     As we developed, we contacted food retailers and distributors and asked for their expired shelf-life food products, dented cans, crushed or damaged food packages that could be safely used. Most began to donate on a regular basis.
     The gleaned produce and donated food was sorted by our volunteers and channeled through our network of authorized charitable organizations for distribution to feed the needy in 5 counties throughout Northern California.
     As our membership continued to grow, and the amount of food we salvaged to feed the needy (over 13 million pounds last year), it was necessary for us to expand our operation. On June 2, 2003, we moved into our new on 14+ acres, 144,000 sq. ft. facility with 84,040 sq. ft. of warehousing space and 14,400 sq. ft. of administrative office space, enabling us to:

     1.    Accept all donations of food and household products.
     2.    Process and accept additional charities to pick up
          food for distribution to the needy.
     3.    Supply more food to all members and charities.
     4.    Store considerably more food in the expanded
          freezer and cooler space until distributed.
     5.    Sort and process perishable and nonperishable
          food in spacious and safe work areas until distributed.
     6.    Load and unload incoming and outgoing food trucks
          on 6 loading platforms instead of our former single loading dock.
     7.    Maneuver trucks and other vehicles safely on spacious
            and well - designed roadways.

Prominent members of our community volunteer their time to serve on our Advisory Board.

OUR AFFILIATIONS

     Sacramento Hunger Commission
     California Association of Food Banks
     Food Banks of Northern California
     California Hunger Action Coalition
     Center on Hunger & Poverty
     Society for Nonprofit Organizations

Thank you for visiting Senior Gleaners!