Turkey Drive: SLO Food Bank glean program rescuing fresh produce for people battling hunger

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - SLO Food Bank is helping provide fresh and healthy produce to community members battling food insecurity through its GleanSLO program.

"GleanSLO essentially sends out volunteers and staff to pick unused produce from the fields of local farms," said Savannah Colevans, SLO Food Bank Senior Communications Manager. "We bring that back and we distribute that to neighbors in need."

The program allows San Luis Obispo County farms and private residences to donate any produce that is still being grown that might end up going to waste.

According to Colevans, GleanSLO rescued 1.8 million pounds of produce last year, representing 39 percent of the food it distributed to community members in need.

"It's a really great way to support nutrition for people in need," said Colevans. "Immediately after gleaning, the food goes back to the warehouse. Sometimes that day it's going out into the community, and it allows people to create a whole complete meal of nutritious food from protein to fresh produce."

GleanSLO is a volunteer-driven program. Those taking part are community members who volunteer typically a couple hours of their day to travel to local farms, fields, orchards, and homes and personally harvest the produce.

"It's a great way for volunteers to connect with the environment, the food that is being produced here on the Central Coast and to support food for people in need," said Colevans. "We get a whole range of seasonal produce. It really depends on the year, at that time of year, which is great because people are getting things that are fresh and seasonal."

GleanSLO is just one of several programs operated by SLO Food Bank, a beneficiary of the News Channel 12 Turkey Drive.

Santa Maria-based Good Samaritan Shelter is the other non-profit that is supported by the Turkey Drive.

Turkeys and monetary donations collected in San Luis Obispo County will help out SLO Food Bank clients, while those collected in Santa Barbara County will remain there and benefit Good Samaritan clients.

The News Channel 12 Turkey Drive is set for Thursday, November 21, with all proceeds benefiting thousands of clients with Good Samaritan Shelter in Santa Barbara County and SLO Food Bank in San Luis Obispo County.

For more information, or to donate, visit the News Channel 12 Turkey Drive webpage.