2024 AGO International Gleaning Symposium�Track 2: Building Your Skills�

Purchasing Produce Programs

Clay Jarratt, After the Harvest

Shannon Hickey, Hope’s Harvest

after the harvest

HEALTHY FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE

After the Harvest was founded in 2014 by a small team that believed hungry people deserve healthy food in Greater Kansas City and that no food should go to waste.

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Since our founding ten years ago, we’ve rescued more than 32 million pounds of fruits and vegetables, delivering produce — the most nutritious part of a meal — to agencies feeding approximately 250,000 food-insecure children, seniors and families every month.

Our story

After the Harvest rescues nutritious fruits and vegetables from going to waste and donates them to agencies that serve hungry people, primarily in Greater Kansas City where one in 10 people are at risk of hunger.

Our Mission

Source: Feeding America Map the Meal Gap

Food insecurity in our Region

Wyandotte County, KS: 10.9% adults, 20.2 % children

Douglas County, KS: 10.0% adults, 11% children

Johnson County, KS: 6.3% adults, 6.9% children

Jackson County, MO: 11.5% adults, 16.1% children

Platte County, MO: 9.2% adults, 8.0% children

Clay County, MO: 10.0% adults, 9.7% children

Cass County, MO: 9.5% adults, 9.1% children

fighting food insecurity

reducing food waste

improving nutrition

ATH is best known for our Gleaning Program, born from the ancient agricultural tradition by which people in need gathered produce left over after the harvest. With the help of thousands of volunteers, we partner with more than 160 local farmers, 2 local produce brokers and as many as 15 farmer’s markets a week to rescue fresh produce. In 2023 we made more than 1500 deliveries directly to agencies that feed hungry people across Greater Kansas City.

2,040,572 pounds of produce recovered from farmers markets, distributors & growers

• 1,055,536 pounds rescued via local programs
• 145 farmers market rescues
• 304,170 local wholesale distributor pounds
• 256 distributor salvages

Gleaning Program

2023 Program Notes

More than 50 percent of all produce grown in the United States never reaches a human consumer. Much of it ends up in landfills, contributing to greenhouse gases. Thanks to our partnership with Harvesters- The Community Food Network, and other food banks as distribution partners, we also rescue semi-truckloads of post market produce that would end up in landfills. Each truckload brings in an average of 10,000 - 40,000 lbs of donated produce.

Truckloads Program

985,036 pounds of fresh produce

24 total truckloads procured

At roughly 40,000 pounds, each truckload ATH procures provides more than 160,000 servings of produce for our hungry neighbors.

In 2023...

$1,231,295 est. value of produce

Cantaloupe/Melons:

184,104 lbs

tomatoes:

85,103 lbs

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In 2023… (June - November)

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580,810 Pounds of Melons, Tomatoes, Cabbage, Squash, And More

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$0.22 Average Cost per Pound

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Fair Share Program Rich Hill, Missouri - Richards, Missouri

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Bates County Produce + Vernon County Produce + Dutch Country Produce + Maple Grove Produce

“Not that cows don’t eat cantaloupe, but they don’t pay for them.”

-Andrew

Maple Grove Produce

SPONSOR

A TRUCKLOAD

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• Donors Can Adopt a Zip Code important to them.
• Funds raised provide the means to grow and distribute right in the same communities.
• Urban Farms and Gardens receive a stipend of up to $2,500 to plant anything from a few raised beds to an acre.
• Volunteer support is available for planting, care, harvesting and distribution.

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• Local focus - Support growing food in the communities with the most food insecurity. Sponsors in and around that community can volunteer near their home, church or workplace. Agencies serving this area can receive the freshest nutritious locally-grown produce for their clients.

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New in 2024

Our Impact

Hope’s Harvest Mission

To improve the livelihoods of local farmers, increase food security for RI’s most vulnerable residents, and get everyone engaged in strengthening the food system by eliminating on-farm food waste in Rhode Island.

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Hope’s Harvest at Farm Fresh RI

Gleaning

Surplus Purchasing

Contracting

Farm to Food Pantry

Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program

Hunger Relief Agencies

Hope’s Harvest was founded in 2018

From 2018-2023, 1389+ volunteers spent 9,830+ hours rescuing…

Over 1 million lbs of fresh, healthy, local fruits and vegetables from…

61 farms across Rhode Island and Southeastern MA, and…

Distributed to 62 hunger relief agencies, serving over 35,000 individuals per month.

We’re contracted with 10 farms in 2024, growing over 48,000lbs of fresh, local produce specifically for hunger relief in RI. Of the $128k distributed, 83% went to BIPOC farmers, including our fabulous Margarita & Teo and Charlotte picture below :)

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Contracting

Arcadian Fields, Hope Valley RI

Askiya, Cranston RI

Charlotte Uwimphue, North Kingstown RI

Daily Farm, Cranston RI

Garman Farm, Middletown RI

Hocus Pocus Farm, Seekonk MA

Martinez Farm, Johnston RI

Movement Ground Farm, Tiverton RI

Osamequin Farm, Seekonk MA

Revive the Roots, Smithfield RI

In 2023, we purchased over 65,000lbs of surplus apples, carrots, and potatoes. Almost $43,000 was distributed to 5 partners farms to find a home for this surplus produce.

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Surplus Purchasing

Boston Area Gleaners, Acton MA

Brandon Family Farm, West Kingston RI

Ferolbink Farms, Tiverton RI

Four Town Farm, Seekonk MA

The Local Patch, Portsmouth RI

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Funds to Farmers Since 2019

Distributed to 44 agencies via the Farm to Food Pantry (FTFP) program…

Sourced from over 88 growers and producers between SFMNP and FTFP

Sent over $422,584 in producer payments across both programs!

Distributed over 9,500 boxes to 91 locations through the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP).

In 2023, Hope’s Harvest & Market Mobile helped to…

Local Food Purchasing Agreement

With support from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and in partnership with RI Department of Environmental Management, Farm Fresh is administering the Local Food Purchasing Agreement:

• $1.7 million contract over three years
• 65 percent for direct payments to farmers and local food producers
• All food being distributed to hunger relief efforts in RI
• Subwards to Southside Community Land Trust, Commercial Fisheries of RI, and the African Alliance of RI for payments to socially disadvantaged farmers
• $380K for emergency food providers to purchase directly through the Market Mobile ordering platform

Questions ?

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Shannon Hickey

Assistant Director of Hope’s Harvest

shannonh@farmfreshri.org

Questions? Thank You!

Clay Jarratt - Director of Programs

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clay@aftertheharvestkc.org