Food Recovery Program at Farmers’ Markets Increases Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Food Insecure Individuals

Abstract

Food recovery programs are an increasingly popular method to decrease the amount of food waste in the United States while increasing healthy food access for food insecure individuals. One such program is the Heartside Gleaning Initiative that began in 2014 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The program partners with low-income volunteers to collect fresh produce from farmers’ markets for redistribution. From June to October 2014, 17,000 pounds of fresh produce was provided to low-income individuals and food pantries. A survey of participants indicated high usage of the produce and high satisfaction with the gleaning program. This program confirms that gleaning is a viable method of reducing barriers to accessing produce for food pantries and food insecure individuals.